Heinrich, Climate Crisis Committee Release New Report On Climate Action, Plan To Build Clean Economy For American People

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), along with fellow members of the Senate Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, released a comprehensive report on the climate crisis titled, “The Case for Climate Action: Building a Clean Economy for the American People.”

The new report – which comes after dozens of hearings, meetings, and input from experts, labor unions, mayors, environmental justice leaders, and Native communities, among others – details how bold climate action from Congress can create millions of new jobs, grow the American economy, and improve people’s lives across the country.

"The climate crisis is the most pressing issue of our generation. We are already experiencing very real and incredibly costly climate disruptions in New Mexico, across America, and around the world,” said Heinrich. “Our new report lays out bold but achievable climate actions that meet the full scale of the challenges we face. As someone with a background in science and engineering, I’m pleased that we specifically focused on the imperative to invest much more in research and development to maintain our nation’s leadership role in technological innovation. Especially as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we should recognize that climate action and the clean energy transition represent our greatest opportunities to put Americans back to work in good-paying careers building a stronger future.”

The Committee’s report calls on Congress to:

• Reduce U.S. emissions rapidly to achieve 100 percent global net-zero emissions no later than 2050;
• Stimulate economic growth by increasing federal spending on climate action to at least 2 percent of GDP annually — and ensure that at least 40 percent of the benefits from these investments help communities of color and low-income, deindustrialized, and disadvantaged communities; and
• Create at least 10 million new jobs.

Collaborators on the report included Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Committee Chair Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), and U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.).

The Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, which is affiliated with the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, was established in March 2019 and was tasked with investigating, holding hearings, and issuing findings on the economic and national security consequences of climate change and how climate action presents significant opportunities for jobs, public health, and the economy. Since March 2019, the committee held 10 public hearings, convened 10 in-depth meetings with experts, and connected with a broad array of constituencies – in person and through targeted outreach.

To read the report and view supportive statements from organizations, click here.