Baldwin, Senate Democrats’ Climate Committee Releases New Report On Climate Action, Plan to Build Clean Economy for American People

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Special Committee on the Climate Crisis Chair Brian Schatz (D-HI), and every member of the 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, agricultural stakeholders, 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 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 two 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.

“Let there be no doubt, climate change is a real, immediate and growing threat to national security, public health and our economy. The longer we fail to act, the more costly climate change will be,” said Senator Baldwin. “Our Climate Committee report includes a plan to move forward on top priorities for us in Wisconsin. We must invest in putting people to work building infrastructure that is better, stronger and smarter. Local communities need help building more resilient infrastructure to withstand the next extreme weather event and we have a plan to provide that support. Our agricultural economy also has a lot to lose if we don’t act on climate change. That is why we need to support the innovative practices that farmers are already doing to be part of the solution and generate new economic growth for rural communities. Taking bold action to confront climate change is an urgent economic necessity for us in Wisconsin and building a clean economy will make our state stronger.”

“The climate crisis is not some distant threat. It is here now, and it will be catastrophic if we don’t strike back immediately. Over the next few decades, climate change will affect every part of American life: our health, our economy, our national security, even our geography. Democrats are committed to working—decisively and aggressively—to avoid the steep human and economic costs of a worsening climate crisis, and to guide the transition to a low carbon economy,” said Leader Schumer.

“Our committee stitched together a political coalition across demographic, geographic, and ideological boundaries,” said Senator Schatz. “We don’t have to keep losing on climate – the work we’ve done shows that we can unite Americans and finally get this done.”

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. Members of the committee also include Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Tina Smith (D-MN).

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