CLIMATE
Why We're Fighting
Everyone deserves to live in a healthy and resilient community, protected from extreme weather and pollution. The climate crisis endangers the safety, health and well-being of our communities right now: we don’t have a moment to waste to transition off fossil fuels! We see the effects most dramatically as New Yorkers—both Upstate and Downstate— experience disastrous storms and extreme flooding. For Black, Brown and indigenous communities, the crisis arrived decades ago, in the form of air and water pollution, contaminated land, and lead and mold in homes. Corporate polluters have made obscene wealth from our communities, leaving Black, Brown and low-income families to clean up the mess and suffer the devastating consequences. They have treated our children and families as expendable in their push for bigger and bigger profits.
We need to transform our economy with renewable energy jobs and infrastructure and hold corporations accountable for the cost of repair to our climate and our public health. To promote true climate justice, those closest to the crisis—communities of color, low-income communities and indigenous communities— must be the ones driving the solutions.
What We're Fighting For
We must address the climate crisis. Everyone deserves to live in a healthy and resilient community, and the ability to afford their energy bills. We will prioritize frontline communities, low-income communities, and communities of color by:
- Implementing the CLCPA (Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act) to force the Governor and state agencies to meet the greenhouse gas and climate justice goals in the law, and oppose any efforts to weaken the law.
- Keeping utility rates reasonable and making the Public Service Commission address the climate crisis.
- Passing New York Heat Act to force utility companies to reduce gas sales and cap prices.
Climate Justice is a part of Our Justice Agenda for 2025. Click here to read the full Agenda and get involved in the fight!
What We're Fighting For
We will prioritize frontline communities, low-income communities, and communities of color by:
- Passing New York Heat Act (S2016/A3351) to force utility companies to reduce gas sales and cap prices.
- Passing Climate Change Superfund Act (S2129/A4592) to force the fossil fuel companies who have willfully created the climate crisis to pay for the solutions to it.
- Passing Renewable Capitol Act (S2689/A5633), requiring the State Capitol and other State buildings in Albany to become renewable within three years.
- Passing the People’s Climate Justice Budget by allocating at least $1 billion to the state’s Climate Action Fund for critical climate, transportation, housing and energy programs
Climate Justice is a part of Our Justice Agenda for 2024. Click here to read the full Agenda and get involved in the fight!