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New progressive candidates aren't afraid to talk about the intersections of climate and injustice
New faces like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Summer Lee aren't afraid to talk about environmental justice.
When Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez unseated incumbent Democrat Rep. Joe Crowley in the primary for New York City’s 14th congressional district, she did so while running on a progressive platform centering on a host of issues including a deep-seated commitment to environmental justice.
On her website, the 28-year-old calls climate change “the single biggest national security threat for the United States and the single biggest threat to worldwide industrialized civilization” in a lengthy section entitled “Mobilizing Against Climate Change.” Expressing support for a complete shift to renewable energy in the United States by 2035, Ocasio-Cortez calls for an end to fossil fuel dependency.
That’s not all. The fresh-faced Democrat, who is likely to soar to victory in the November midterms, goes one step further. She links environmental issues and financial security and lays out the blueprint for a “Green New Deal,” one that would seek first and foremost to protect New York’s most vulnerable residents who are affected by erosion and rising sea levels in a more equitable way.
Drawing connections between environmental issues and stark inequality is nothing new. Low-income communities and communities of color have long suffered disproportionately from pollution, climate change, and ecological devastation. Talking about such issues in no uncertain terms, however, is unusual even for progressive politicians — but it’s a trend that Ocasio-Cortez appears to be bucking.
And she’s not alone.
https://thinkprogress.org/environmental-justice-racism-tlaib-ocasio-cortez-lee-appalachia-midterm-elections-0eb537448a1e/
When Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez unseated incumbent Democrat Rep. Joe Crowley in the primary for New York City’s 14th congressional district, she did so while running on a progressive platform centering on a host of issues including a deep-seated commitment to environmental justice.
On her website, the 28-year-old calls climate change “the single biggest national security threat for the United States and the single biggest threat to worldwide industrialized civilization” in a lengthy section entitled “Mobilizing Against Climate Change.” Expressing support for a complete shift to renewable energy in the United States by 2035, Ocasio-Cortez calls for an end to fossil fuel dependency.
That’s not all. The fresh-faced Democrat, who is likely to soar to victory in the November midterms, goes one step further. She links environmental issues and financial security and lays out the blueprint for a “Green New Deal,” one that would seek first and foremost to protect New York’s most vulnerable residents who are affected by erosion and rising sea levels in a more equitable way.
Drawing connections between environmental issues and stark inequality is nothing new. Low-income communities and communities of color have long suffered disproportionately from pollution, climate change, and ecological devastation. Talking about such issues in no uncertain terms, however, is unusual even for progressive politicians — but it’s a trend that Ocasio-Cortez appears to be bucking.
And she’s not alone.
https://thinkprogress.org/environmental-justice-racism-tlaib-ocasio-cortez-lee-appalachia-midterm-elections-0eb537448a1e/
