(San Francisco, CA, September 23) Climate activist, NextGen America founder, and former presidential candidate Tom Steyer released the following statement today in response to Governor Newsom’s announcement that he would declare a climate emergency. Steyer applauded the Governor’s action and emphasized the need for urgent action:
“Our state is in a climate crisis. Today, Governor Newsom put forth an unprecedented, real, progressive climate commitment that meets the urgency this moment demands. For too long, we’ve failed to invest and innovate on the scale needed to reinvigorate our economy and end our reliance on fossil fuels. Governor Newsom recognizes that turning this core pillar of our economy around on the timescale we need to meet these targets represents an unprecedented opportunity to create jobs, improve public health, and combat environmental injustice.
“We need this leadership at the national level. Vice President Biden’s bold and necessary climate plan calls for 100% clean energy by 2035 and puts environmental justice front and center. That means holding companies accountable for polluting our communities and ensuring every electric car and truck that we put on the road here in California will be powered by 100% clean energy. That is bold by any standard, and here in California we must do all we can to build the industries to make it happen.
“We know the cost of inaction. California’s own Natural Resources Agency expects the costs of disasters to reach $113 billion annually by 2050. Families across our state have suffered during this pandemic. But a clean energy future is how we put people back to work and protect this state for generations to come.”