Elizabeth Warren proposes investing trillions of dollars to transition to zero-emission economy by 2035
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is back with a brand new plan.
On Tuesday, the 2020 presidential candidate rolled out a massive policy proposal outlining how she intends to combat "environmental racism" while transitioning the U.S. to a "green energy economy." It includes tackling how climate change disproportionately affects poorer communities of color, and addressing the needs of fossil fuel workers who will be displaced in this transition.
Warren starts her plan by highlighting instances of environmental racism across the country. Detroit's 48217 zip code is 80 percent black and is the most polluted zip code in the U.S., and the Isle de Charles band of the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw tribe, living on the sinking edge of Louisiana, has become "the country's first climate refugees," the plan says. These examples show how environmental justice "must be at the center of our response to climate change," and how current environmental policies don't address that reality, the proposal continues.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
To tackle these and other environmental injustices, Warren brings up the Green New Deal, promising to funnel at least $1 trillion to communities amid or at risk of a climate disaster. Trillions more dollars will go into "mitigating environmental harm" by expanding health care and raising wages for those in polluted areas, seeing as they were often forced there by redlining and other discriminatory policies. Warren also acknowledges fossil fuel workers will lose their jobs in a zero-emission economy, saying she'll provide them "job training and guaranteed wage and benefit parity" or "full financial security" for those who choose to retire.
Warren had previously unveiled two other climate-related policy proposals: A whole climate change plan, and one specifically regarding the military. Find her whole environmental justice plan here.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Ukraine cheers House approval of military aid
Speed Read Following a lengthy struggle, the House has approved $95 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Olive oil: alternatives for the 'liquid gold'
The Week Recommends As the price of this store cupboard staple has rocketed, we look at ways to save and other oils to use for cooking
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
Scotland Yard, Gaza and the politics of policing protests
Talking Point Met Police accused of 'two-tier policing' by former home secretary as new footage emerges of latest flashpoint
By The Week UK Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published