With the American political climate polarised by debate that has emerged from the proposed ‘Green New Deal’ (GND), it is difficult to understand the core stance of the deal and what is seeks to produce.
It’s its very essence, the GND is the corporal form of social-populism. It seeks to encourage a communal shared project of changing the 21st century so that there are material improvements to the quality of lower and middle class.
However, put simply, it is a resolution introduced by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts which sets out big picture goals for tackling climate change. The GND aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to prevent further consequences of climate change whilst simultaneously tackling social problems of racial injustice and economic inequality.
Specifically, it sets out goals such as transitioning the United States away from fossil fuels, decreasing the use of carbon in agriculture, transportation and infrastructure and making America 100% carbon-free in ten years. Beyond strictly environmental issues, the GND seeks to tackle income inequality through a ‘federal jobs guarantee program’ which assures a living wage, create more high-paying jobs spurred on by the push for renewable energy, better access to higher education and the provision of clean air, clean water and healthy food for all.
Goals aside, it proposes to achieve this 10-year, 100% carbon-emission free plan through a variety of mechanisms including changing the country’s energy into completely renewable energy, digitizing America’s power grid and upgrading every single building in the country to be environmentally conscious by being more energy efficient. It also calls for the overhaul of the nation’s transportation system by investing in electric vehicles and high-speed rail.
It is an ambitious plan that seeks to counter, in the words of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez:
‘one of the biggest existential threats to any way of life’.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
7 February 2019
Although highly emotive and strongly contended, the effect climate change has and will continue to have on the earth, human security and even the economy is immense. The estimated cost of natural disasters in America in 2018 alone was $9 billion due to cyclones, hurricanes and wildfires. Climate change itself effects human security through the threat of diseases, threats to food security and the other basic conditions needed to survive such as clean air. Beyond climate change, the GND’s calls for greater economy equality speak to the dramatic increase in jobs whilst incomes remain stagnant and rise of the top 1% leading to an immense gap in pay.
The GND is idealist, humane, principles and aims to counter a fundamental issue that the world is facing. However, at this stage in history given the political climate, it does not appear to be achievable.
The GND lays out a vision for the future but it does not spell out a map in order to tackle the plethora of goals it seeks to achieve within the next decade. This has been a main point of argument by critics that continue to contend that this deal is unachievable. Aside from this technical barrier, it appears that the GND will face immense opposition in both the Congress and Senate by conservatives and cynics that do not see this deal as anything but outrageous.
Although the cost of the deal is unknown, Conservative Think Tanks such as the American Action Forum have estimated the cost of the GND to be $93 trillion dollars. Of course, this is not factoring the immense benefits and growth the economy will have during this period with the flourishing of the renewable industry. When questioned about where the money will appear, a variety of answers were presented including a 70% marginal tax rate on incomes over $10 million which is nearly double the current rate. Critics of the GND jump at the opportunity to merely label it a socialist alternative that is not feasible, viable or will ever achieve any traction. This is despite a select number of democrats including 2020 presidential hopefuls such as Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren providing mild support for the notion- although hesitant to vote on the matter yet. Calls by proponents of the GND such as Ocasio-Cortez to establish a committee looking at how the US can implement such measures to achieve sustainable environmental, social and economic goals have been openly criticised by many Republicans and looks to be vehemently blocked.
At the present moment, the GND is not strong enough to be a legislative instrument, not with the amount of criticism it has faced by the majority of legislative agents. However, where it will prove important and vital is with the impending 2020 Presidential Elections which are looming just around the corner. The GND will be important in changing and influencing the conversation about the environment and will prove to be an area that will divide presidential candidates.
