Friday, June 9, 2017

As Trump Withdraws from Paris Climate Accord, California Vows 100 Percent Clean Energy by 2045

So wonderful to share good news.
Another world is possible! - Molly



From Democracy Now!: 
As President Trump announced the United States will pull out of the Paris climate agreement, California’s state Senate has passed legislation to put the state on a path to 100 percent clean renewable energy by the year 2045. California Governor Jerry Brown is in China to lead a conference of states and other "subnational" actors making voluntary commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions. It is one of dozens of state and local governments committing to fight climate change, and as the state with the world’s sixth largest economy, California is often cited by analysts as a model for its ambitious environmental policy. Nearly 200 U.S. mayors have also signed on to an agreement to uphold the commitments to the goals enshrined in the Paris Agreement. We are joined by Kevin de León, president pro tem of the California state Senate.  

NERMEEN SHAIKH: We end today’s show in California, where the state Senate just passed legislation to put the state on a path to 100 percent clean renewable energy by the year 2045. California is just one of dozens of state and local governments committing to fight climate change after President Trump announced Thursday the country will pull out of the Paris climate agreement. This comes after the environmental ministers of Canada and Mexico visited San Francisco in April to sign a global pact that was drafted largely by California to lower planet-warming greenhouse pollution.

AMY GOODMAN: Nearly 200 U.S. mayors have signed on to an agreement to uphold the commitments to the goals enshrined in the Paris Agreement. As a state with the world’s sixth largest economy, analysts often cite California as a model for its ambitious environmental policy.

For more, we’re going right to the state capital of California, Sacramento, where we’re joined by Kevin de León, president pro tem of the California state Senate.

Welcome back to Democracy Now! Talk first about President Trump pulling out, pulling the U.S. out of the Paris accord, and then what you’re doing about it.

SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: Well, good morning, Amy, and good morning, Nermeen.

I can say this. This is our reality. We’re not going to allow one huge, potentially catastrophic decision by the president to reverse generations of progress at the height of our historic diversity, our scientific advancement, our economic output, as well as our sense of global responsibility. We refuse to go back and recede. So we’re moving forward. We’re forging ahead with 100 percent clean energy, Senate Bill 100. It’s the most far-reaching, ambitious proposal of its kind in the nation, in the entire world.

We can’t retreat now, given the fact that the president has demonstrated and shown to the world that he has actually served the climate leadership mantle directly to the Chinese, and obviously the Chinese are more than happy to assume the role to be the world leader when it comes to climate energy. So we’re moving forward with 100 percent clean energy. We’ll generate all of our energy from clean energy, renewable sources, whether it’s wind, solar or geothermal. It’s a huge step forward. But we have no choice, and we have to move forward, if in fact we’re going to continue to grow our economy.

One point I want to make especially is, this is not just about the environment. This is about the economy, because we have created upwards up to 500,000 new jobs in the clean energy space. And to put this in context for all Americans, Democrats and Republicans alike, there are 10 times more jobs in California in the clean energy space than there are in the coal mining industry in all of America.

For the complete transcript, or to watch the full show, please go here: https://www.democracynow.org/2017/6/5/as_trump_withdraws_from_paris_climate

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