There is nothing ‘radical’ or ‘unrealistic’ about our plan. Clean energy and climate jobs transitions are already underway around the world and governments are making the strategic investments to build clean energy futures with good jobs.
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Denmark – Western Europe’s third largest oil producer – has reduced emissions by 38% by investing billions in renewable energy, a climate neutral waste sector, and the electrification of transport.[1] Denmark has also put a ban on new oil and gas exploration, and has legislated the phase out of fossil fuel production by 2050[2] – all while expanding new union climate jobs. Denmark’s Orsted is now one of the leading wind turbine companies in the world with multi-billion dollar projects around the world.
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Sweden – Western Europe’s most rapidly decarbonizing economy – has reduced emissions by 56% 2005-2019.[3] It has accomplished this by phasing out coal-fueled power plants as well as five nuclear power plants. At the same time, Sweden has built up its wind, geothermal, heat pump and hydro electrical infrastructure. In making this transition, Sweden has also developed a world leading fossil-free steel industry. This has added more than hundreds of thousands of union climate jobs over the past two decades.
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New York State and New York City – have adopted the most aggressive climate change programs in the United States. Their legislated targets include doubling renewable energy projects to ensure more than 70 percent of energy is from renewables. This is backed by more than $10 billion in new public investments. New York state and New York City have has also made new commitments to electrified public transit and to training thousands of new workers. And in all these new public investments, the state has also passed new legislation ensuring project labour agreements that uphold union jobs and new apprenticeship programs for thousands of workers. This commitment to tackling climate change has created 10,000 new direct union jobs – with plans for the growth of more than 300,000 climate jobs in the next decade.
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Illinois – in the past year, Illinois has passed a number of pieces new legislation, including the plan to phase out all coal powered energy plants, and multibillion dollar investments in wind and solar targeting 100% renewable energy by 2050. The Illinois legislature has also passed new legislation mandating electric vehicles and new energy efficiency measures for public buildings and schools. Again in making these decisions, the state supported legislation that upheld union agreements and new apprenticeship and community investment programs to expand jobs and training and help communities prepapre for a clean energy future and adapt to climate change.
[1] European Parliamentary Research Service. 2021. EU progress on Climate Action – Climate Action in Denmark, Latest State of Play. Brussels: European Parliament. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2021/679106/EPRS_BRI(2021)679106_EN.pdf
[2] Thibault Menu. 2021. Denmark – A Case Study for a Climate Neutral Europe. Paris: Études de l’Ifri, Ifri, April 2021.
https://www.ifri.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/menu_denmark_climate_neutral_europe_2021.pdf
[3] European Parliamentary Research Service. 2021. EU progress on Climate Action – Climate Action in Sweden, Latest State of Play. Brussels: European Parliament.