t is not enough for politicians to talk about climate change – we need to push them for solutions. The conversation has moved past whether or not climate change exists. It is time to focus on concrete solutions to this problem, and organizations like NextGen Climate are hard at work on this.NextGen Climate is calling on candidates and elected officials to propose a plan to power America with more than 50% clean energy by 2030, putting us on a pathway to 100% clean energy by 2050. But what does this future actually look like?
It is a world with better public health, more economic opportunity and less environmental degradation. Let’s paint this picture.
THE COMMON GOOD
Switching to clean energy and burning less fossil fuels means the air we breathe will be cleaner. Today 138.5 million Americans, almost 44% of the nation, live in areas where pollution levels are too often dangerous to breathe. Left unaddressed, climate change will make this worse because higher temperatures and more frequent and intense drought cause higher levels of the most widespread forms of pollution: smog (ground-level ozone) and particulate matter. However, powering our country with more than 50% clean energy by 2030 will help solve climate change and make the air we breathe cleaner.
If we fail to address climate change, devastating storms and droughts will be the new normal. As temperatures continue to rise, extreme heatwaves will increase in frequency, intensity, and duration. Additionally, heavier precipitation events and flooding will occur more and more often, contaminating drinking water and causing billions in property damage. Is this a world we want to live in? We have the ability to change our future. Demand a plan from your elected officials and candidates to address climate change and power America with more than 50% clean energy by 2030.