Climate Action Now Act |
Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, to prohibit the use of federal funds to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement and require the Trump Administration to set forth a plan to meet America’s 2025 emissions targets. H.R. 9 is the first climate bill of the current Congress to come to the floor of the House, and is supported by many non-federal leaders, including the We Are Still In Leaders Circle which sent a letter last week to House leadership. Retweet us on Twitter if you would like to share We Are Still In’s support of H.R. 9 with your community. |
We Are Still In North Carolina Meeting |
On Monday, April 29th, We Are Still In signatories from North Carolina came together for a day-long discussion of local climate action and opportunities for increased ambition and aligned efforts. Representatives from the Governor’s office were joined by cities, universities, businesses, investors, cultural institutions, and faith groups in the area to identify the benefits of collaboration within the state. Future meetings in North Carolina and in other states are being planned to support We Are Still In signatories in reaching their individual climate goals and accelerating their progress with local partners. We encourage your organization, wherever it is located, to pursue collaboration with local partners, and welcome your participation at future events. A special thanks to the Museum of Life and Sciences for a great day! |
State & Local Climate Action |
April saw continued ambition from state and city leaders on climate action. This month, state legislatures in Nevada and Maryland passed bills to require 50% renewable energy by 2030. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf also joined the U.S. Climate Alliance, bringing the bipartisan group to 24 governors in support of reducing emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. With the addition of Pennsylvania, the Alliance now represents 55% of the U.S. population and 60% of national GDP. 100% clean energy targets are also gaining momentum in states. Since the start of 2019, 10 states and Puerto Rico have either passed or introduced legislation to transition to 100 percent clean energy by midcentury, with even more states gaining support from their governors for similar measures. Since the beginning of 2019, Nevada, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Washington have passed bills that set a goal of 100% clean energy by 2050 or earlier. You can see a full list of 100% clean energy commitments in cities, counties, and states here. Meanwhile, cities across the nation are trending toward increasing measures for clean buildings, energy systems, and transportation. In April, New York City passed the Climate Mobilization Act, a suite of bills that will reshape energy use in America’s largest city, reining in emissions from buildings, transportation, and the power sector. The City Council reports that it will be the largest single carbon reduction effort of any city anywhere in the world, equivalent to taking more than one million cars off the road by 2030. In addition, Chicago committed to supplying 100% renewable energy city-wide by 2035, making it the largest American city to make a 100% renewable commitment. San Francisco announced plans to require large commercial buildings to go 100% renewable by 2030, and Los Angeles rolled out bold new goals for 80% clean vehicles, 80% renewable energy, and thousands of driving miles saved per resident. |