A common goal to fight climate change
When facing a serious threat to our national security or economy, Americans have always rallied to take bold action. As former governors of different parties and very different states, we are calling on the nation to come together behind a goal of a 100 percent clean economy to address the very real danger of climate change.
As climate pollution builds up in our atmosphere, a hotter world is undermining our economic progress, hurting our military readiness, and endangering our health. The best solution, consistent with the demands of science, is to transform the United States into a 100 percent clean economy by 2050, at the very latest. That process will also boost American innovation, drive progress across the world and promote U.S. exports.
That’s the goal of a new bill in Congress, The 100% Clean Economy Act. It has broad support, with more than 150 co-sponsors from red and blue states. It’s an effort we urge members of both parties to consider endorsing and passing.
A fully clean economy — net zero emissions — is an ambitious goal, but entirely achievable. Renewable energy is already on a roll. Solar energy prices have dropped nearly 90 percent in the last decade. Wind is nearly 70 percent cheaper than it was. New strategies and technologies for removing climate pollution from the air are being developed. With strong leadership and action from Congress, we can accelerate that momentum.
A 100 percent clean economy — producing no more climate pollution than we can remove — is an objective both parties can support. Those who understand the urgency of the climate crisis rightly demand a bold goal, with dramatic increases in the use of renewable energy. And it’s an achievable target with a realistic transition and room for a variety of energy sources. It can be done by investments in innovation, and strategies to remove pollution from the atmosphere.
Support for the 100% Clean Economy Act is growing because there is increased awareness that reducing climate pollution is a core challenge in fighting climate change. Unlike other proposals, this bill leaves open multiple paths to a 100 percent clean future, providing flexibility without locking in specific mechanisms, or creating constraints that will make the path more difficult.
The consequences of failing to take bold action are stark. The Pentagon has repeatedly warned of the destabilizing impact of climate change. It increases the flow of refugees, engenders conflict that often involve American troops and damages our military infrastructure. Already, bases across the country face serious impacts. Secretary Mabus saw the risks to our navy firsthand.
The economic impacts of the climate crisis are large and growing. Coastal infrastructure and real estate are hurt by stronger storms — like Superstorm Sandy in New Jersey — and continued sea level rise. American agriculture is facing droughts and other disruptions. Longer and more deadly wildfire seasons have economic and health consequences. In all, Citibank estimates climate change could cost more than $40 trillion. A working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research suggests that without action the U.S. alone will lose 10 percent of its gross domestic product by the end of this century.
If we don’t take immediate action to cut climate pollution, Texas will experience twice as many dangerous heat days, the length of droughts will nearly double, and the state’s coastal flood threat will increase by 60 percent — adding more than 115,000 people to the 100-year flood plain.
But if we move ambitiously and wisely, we can reap enormous benefits. In addition to limiting damage, we have the chance to beat Europe and China in the race for clean energy jobs and help promote economic opportunity for middleclass workers. With our technology leadership and world-best university system, the United States is well positioned to win this competition. But as of now, Europe and China are moving faster than we are. Only by engaging our entire economy with policies that drive down climate pollution can we advance our economic interests.
As governors, we learned that the best way forward is through practical steps backed by bipartisan consensus. And that progress starts by setting ambitious but realistic objectives. We believe a 100 percent clean economy is the goal we must embrace if we hope to leave a healthy, prosperous world for our children and grandchildren.