As the Nations of the World prepare to lock arms, to target the very real security problems of Climate Change, Senator Bernie Sanders introduces legislation, daring the American delegation to put their money where their rhetoric is …
Sanders Introduces Bill to Cut Carbon Emissions 80 Percent
Thursday, December 10, 2015 -- sanders.senate.gov
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 – Expanding on his ambitious plan to combat climate change, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced the Climate Protection and Justice Act today to establish a price on carbon pollution. The legislation would cut total emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, fund historic investments in energy efficiency and sustainable energy technologies, return billions of dollars to working families and protect the most vulnerable communities.
“What the scientists tell us is that we have a relatively short window of opportunity to bring about the fundamental changes that we need in our global energy system to transform our energy system,” Sanders said on the Senate floor today. “It is absolutely vital that we do what many economists tell us we must and that is put a price on carbon. It is the simplest and most direct way to make the kind of cuts in carbon pollution that we have got to make if we are going to successfully transition away from fossil fuel to energy efficiency and sustainable energy.”
Sanders’ legislation would return billions of dollars to working families to ensure that the fossil fuels industry doesn’t pass on unfair rate hikes. Eighty percent of revenue would be transferred from big polluters to the middle class.
[...]
“The Sierra Club strongly supports the Climate Protection and Justice Act of 2015, as well as the Clean Energy Investment and Transition Acts,” Liz Perera, Sierra Club Climate policy director, said. “We greatly appreciate Senator Sanders’ legislative leadership in tackling the climate crisis – the greatest challenge of our time – while also advancing new plans for ensuring jobs, justice and support for the communities affected as we transition to clean energy. These important pieces of legislation provide billions toward necessary efforts to ensure environmental and economic justice as we grow the booming clean energy economy even more. We look forward to continuing to work with Senator Sanders and his colleagues, with the shared goal of building a cleaner, stronger, healthier and more just economy for all American families and workers.”
…….
"As the world watches leaders negotiate a climate deal in Paris it is clear that the United States needs to promote environmental health, workers’ rights, and justice over the profits of Fossil Fuel Empires. With this new suite of legislation Senator Sanders is recognizing the need to rapidly transition to a new economy. Senator Sanders bills protect workers and communities while helping to build a clean energy economy on the principles of equity and justice." -- Erich Pica, President, Friends of the Earth. [...]
Some people talk about changing our "fossil ways". Other people are serious about it.
.......
If only the pivotal events in Paris of the last month -- would sent us into an inventive, 21st Century, Renewable Energy economy (doubling output every 2 years).
Instead of sending us head-long into yet another ill-conceived, trumped-up War -- against an Idea ... Hiding somewhere in “a quagmire … within a Quagmire.” One of our own ill-conceived making.
The lessons of Paris will be very pivotal and consequential, as were the lessons of the last Big War.