Climate crisis requires urgent action

Our cities, already over-burdened by environmental pollution, are at risk of increased air pollution and heat-related issues.

If you think climate change is an urgent existential crisis, then you are not alone. A record number of Americans believe climate change poses real, immediate danger. In 2018, the world was warned — we have 12 years to act. With just a few weeks left in the legislative session, Connecticut’s legislature must address this issue with the urgency it requires.

Connecticut has a lot at stake. Our cities, already over-burdened by environmental pollution, are at risk of increased air pollution and heat-related issues. Without action, rising sea levels will overwhelm our shoreline.

Now is the time for Gov. Ned Lamont and the Connecticut General Assembly to set a requirement for 100 percent clean and renewable energy, stop the diversion of energy efficiency funds swept by the legislature, rapidly ramp up renewables like rooftop and community solar generation and offshore wind, encourage electric cars and transit buses, fix leaking gas pipelines and stop building infrastructure like pipelines and energy plants that serve the fracked gas industry.

Five other states — Hawaii, California, New Mexico, Nevada and Washington — have stepped up and recently committed to a 100 percent clean and renewable future. Last month, Chicago, a city of 2.7 million people that experiences even more extreme weather than Connecticut, committed to 100 percent clean and renewable energy for all of its buildings by 2035.

Connecticut needs to stop burning fossil fuel as a part of our energy generation, powering our cars and homes. It’s time for us to transition from our current fracked gas and nuclear energy generation to solar and wind. We need to move from combustion engines to electric vehicles, and we need to deploy geothermal and air source heat pumps to heat our homes — not fracked gas and oil. Over the next 12 years, we must make this transition in a way that promotes community investment and local jobs instead of paying for far-off foreign oil and harmful domestic fracked gas. A strong, robust, local renewable energy economy is a win for communities, consumers and the environment.

With a month left in the legislative session, it is time for Gov. Lamont and Connecticut lawmakers to get serious about acting on climate change in order to protect Connecticut residents from the ravages of climate change. We need our leaders to address climate change now with real and meaningful action.