NEW ADS: Workers Say Congress Must Pass Climate Action, Create Clean Energy Jobs for All
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 14th, 2022
Contact: Jason Phelps, [email protected]
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Climate Power launched a series of digital ads featuring workers describing how Congress must confront the climate crisis and put people to work building a clean energy economy. Taking bold action to invest directly in clean energy jobs will help create opportunities in communities large and small while benefiting people in every industry—from business owners, to farmers, to engineers to manufacturing workers.
“By confronting the climate crisis with bold action, Congress will unleash the investments that build a clean energy future that generates jobs, reduces costs for families, and slashes pollution,” said Lori Lodes, Climate Power Executive Director. “It’s time to deliver the real, tangible benefits of the Build Back Better Act’s climate, environmental justice and clean energy investments. Failure is not an option for the country or the planet.”
This is just one part of the $3m+ advertising buy that Climate Power and other environmental groups have planned through the president’s State of the Union address to make the case for immediate climate action. This first flight will run on social and other digital channels for two weeks and be expanded from there. The series captures the dynamic growth of America’s clean energy industry by featuring two solar installers from West Virginia, a Navajo Power worker in Arizona, a solar manufacturer in Georgia, and two employees at semiconductor manufacturer Hemlock in Michigan, and a Montana farmer. Climate Power’s new ad series gives a platform to the workers on the frontlines of the energy transitions calling for more investments in the clean energy economy to secure their communities’ future.
Soon, Congress is expected to take up a package of policies in the Build Back Better Act, including $550 billion for clean energy, an investment that will put our already strong clean energy industry into hyperdrive, delivering benefits to our economy, workforce, communities, and climate.
A recent letter from the American Clean Power Association to Congressional leaders pointed out that, “The Build Back Better Act will more than double clean energy investment to $750 billion over the next ten years, supporting one million, good-paying American jobs over the same period of time. As a result, the United States will be able to reach 750 GW of wind, solar and battery storage by 2030 and cut power sector emissions by nearly 70% below 2005 levels. That is the equivalent of 175 million American homes being powered by low-cost, reliable clean energy.”
Experts are unequivocal about the Build Back Better Act’s positive economic impact:
- Good-paying jobs in the fastest-growing industry: Clean energy is the fastest-growing industry in America and already supports 3 million jobs that pay 25% higher than the national median wage. The jobs cannot be offshored and many are in rural communities—including 99% of wind energy jobs.
- Business support: A wide range of business leaders have called for passage of the climate provisions in Build Back Better, including Patagonia, Salesforce, Amazon, Meta Platforms, General Motors, Walmart, and Netfllix.
- Anti-inflationary: 17 Nobel-Prize-Winning economists wrote a letter to President Biden saying the Build Back Better Act “Will Ease Longer-Term Inflationary Pressures.” Even noted inflation hawk Larry Summers wrote that Build Back Better would not have a meaningful impact on inflation: “I’m for Build Back Better.”
- Reduces costs: A recent Rhodium Group study found that Build Back Better would save households $500 per year.
Voters across party lines are overwhelmingly concerned about pollution and extreme weather, and they want Congress to act. Moreover, ahead of the November midterm elections, voters are paying attention to whether lawmakers pass the Build Back Better Act and take action to address climate change. The toplines from Climate Power and Data for Progress’s most recent poll demonstrate the support for climate action to pass with Build Back Better Act:
- Over two-thirds of voters are concerned about the impacts of pollution, extreme weather, and climate change on their communities.
- A majority of voters (70 percent) think it is important that Congress addresses climate change.
- When informed of the plan’s climate and clean energy investments, voters support the Build Back Better Act by a +39-point margin.
- If lawmakers fail to pass the Build Back Better Act, 15 percent of Democrats and nearly a third of Independents (28 percent) say they will be less motivated to vote for Democrats in the November 2022 midterm elections.
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