From the state of our politics to the state of our climate, these are trying days, when it can be challenging to find the positives. But I’m taking time to be thankful this season, especially in the face of a climate-denying administration full of fossil fuel lobbyists. In spite of their efforts to move our country backwards, we still have so much to celebrate! Here’s a short list of recent climate and clean energy-related progress that I’m very thankful for, in no particular order:
-
Last week a powerful group of congressional representatives unveiled the 100% Clean Economy Act, a bill that seeks to move America to a 100% clean economy with net-zero emissions by 2050 across all sectors of the economy, including transportation, buildings, and manufacturing.
-
Seven states plus Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico have now passed bills committing to 100% clean energy. And thanks to amazing clean energy grassroots activists in communities nationwide, more than one in four US residents lives in a place that’s committed to moving away from fossil fuels entirely and toward 100% clean electricity.
-
In April 2019, for the first time ever, the US generated more power from clean energy than from coal.
-
I’ve gotten to watch clean energy get built firsthand: In October I flew over the site of the now-demolished Brayton Point coal plant -- once the largest coal plant in the Northeast -- and over the first US offshore wind farm that powers Block Island, Rhode Island. Almost every coal plant in New England is now slated for retirement -- Brayton Point was coal plant #150 announced to retire nationwide and was decommissioned this summer. States on the Atlantic Coast have committed to purchase 25 gigawatts of offshore wind, and the site is now poised to be a launching point for that new industry.
-
Some of our largest polluting coal plants are beginning to retire: The largest coal plant in US history retired this year, the Bruce Mansfield plant in western Pennsylvania, and the single-largest coal boiler ever (in Rockport, Indiana) announced its retirement as well. People will be breathing easier in both locations, and so will our climate.
-
Measures to support a just transition for coal workers and communities are advancing, including state legislation like the Illinois Clean Energy Jobs Act and federal legislation like the RECLAIM Act.
-
A wave of communities are saying no to new fracked gas infrastructure: In California more than 20 cities have now passed codes requiring that new buildings be all-electric and no gas!
-
Major corporations aren’t seeing a future in coal either. This summer, Chubb, the largest commercial insurance company in the US, announced it would stop insuring new coal plants and phase out insurance for coal mines by 2022. It will also stop insuring utilities that generate more than 30% of their electricity from coal.
-
I’m thankful for all advocates around the world who are working to move their countries off of coal as well, including those I visited in South Korea and the newly launched Australia Beyond Coal Campaign.
-
Finally, more than 100 global leaders and organizations -- including Bill McKibben, Mark Ruffalo, Rev. Dr. William Barber II, Naomi Klein, and the Sierra Club’s own Michael Brune -- signed this solidarity statement in support of our fight to stop a dangerous coal- and fracked-gas-fueled Rockwool insulation factory in my community, proposed right across the street from an elementary school despite massive local opposition.
None of these milestones would be possible without the phenomenal grassroots activists working tirelessly nationwide to transition the US from fossil fuels to clean energy. We know that coal and fracked gas poison our air and water, and we know that solar and wind energy can power our homes and businesses and boost our economy.
This holiday season, I’m so very thankful for those who are speaking out for clean air, clean water, and a safe climate, and taking action in their communities. Together, we’re making a big difference for our families and for the planet. May you all have a wonderful holiday!