EDF Endorses Landmark 100% Clean Economy Act

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 21, 2019) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today announced its endorsement of the 100% Clean Economy Act, a bold climate action bill just introduced by leading members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The 100% Clean Economy Act would put the country on a path to a 100% clean economy by 2050—which means allowing no more climate pollution produced than can be removed from the atmosphere across all sectors of the economy. By establishing a national target that applies to climate pollution economy-wide, this bill provides a framework to guide the federal government, states, companies and consumers toward policies to meet the 2050 goal. The bill focuses on key measurable outcomes during the transition to 100% clean, including improving public health, strengthening environmental resiliency, enhancing job creation, empowering communities that are disproportionately vulnerable to pollution, and providing just and equitable transition for workers.

150 members of the U.S. House of Representatives are co-sponsoring the 100% Clean Economy Act, including members from the business-oriented New Democrat Coalition, the Progressive Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and senior House committee leaders. 20 of the nation’s leading public health, environmental, and clean energy organizations also support the bill.

“150 lawmakers have united behind this bill because they know it delivers the ambitious but achievable climate goal we need,” said EDF President Fred Krupp.

“To reach this economy-wide goal at the pace and scale that the science demands, we must keep all tools on the table. That’s why this legislation articulates a goal focused squarely on reducing the pollution that causes climate change – and allows flexibility in how to meet it, including an array of renewable energy technologies to reduce emissions as well as natural solutions, emerging technologies and other strategies that can remove carbon pollution directly from the atmosphere.

“There’s no time to waste. The impacts of climate change are only getting worse—that means more dangerous heat, drought, storms and wildfires and more deadly diseases that ravage our lives and raise the cost of doing business.

“Momentum for climate action is growing by the day, and we encourage more lawmakers to join this growing coalition that is working to put our country on a path to 100% clean.”