Progressives Gear Up For Broad New Push On Climate Action

A coalition of progressive groups say they are organizing a sweeping network to mobilize around climate change, racial and environmental justice, making a new unified push as President-elect Joe Biden is days away from taking office with Democrats set to control both the House and the Senate.

The group, the Green New Deal Network, plans to invest in partner organizations in 20 key states to mobilize grassroots power to pressure elected officials to support their goals; introduce Green New Deal-related legislation at the state and local level, spearhead federal legislation that would implement parts of the Green New Deal agenda, and to pressure the incoming Biden administration to enact a series of executive actions related to climate, jobs and justice.

“Every day [SEIU members] confront the crisis of climate, as well as environmental racism and economic inequality, so the Green New Deal is not something that is abstract to them,” said Rocio Sáenz, the executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union. “For our members the Green New Deal means clear air, clean water, safe communities, good jobs and a growing economy. So this, for us, is why we are part of this network. What we see, especially now more than ever, is that we cannot think about these issues in siloes.”