Great news! Today Rep. Joseph Kennedy III announced his support for the Green New Deal, saying on Facebook:
“This generation will either be defined by the wreckage of climate change or defined by the mighty effort we summon in response. We no longer have the luxury of time, patience or incrementalism. Over the past several weeks an incredible number of young people in Massachusetts and across the country have raised their voices in support of an aggressive, ambitious environmental and economic agenda. Their advocacy and activism is a bright light in our political system. I am proud to support the Green New Deal and look forward to working with my colleagues on the Energy & Commerce Committee and throughout the House to implement the climate policy this country deserves and our planet demands.”
Among the Newton organizations advocating with Rep. Kennedy for the Green New Deal have been Green Newton, Newton Coalition for Climate Action, and Our Revolution Newton. Last week, City Councilor Emily Norton organized a meeting of several advocacy groups with Rep. Kennedy (in photo: Richard Bail of Communities Without Borders, Cory Alperstein of Newton Coalition for Climate Action, Craig Altemose and Margaret Zaleski of the Better Future Project / 350Mass, Councilor Emily Norton, Marcia Cooper of Green Newton, Rep. Joe Kennedy III, and Evan Feldberg-Bannatyne of Sunrise Boston).
Yeah! Very happy to see investment in infrastructure beyond electric vehicles included:
✔ Modernize Urban Mobility and Mass Transit
The growth of cities, the rapid change in vehicle technology, and the need for low-carbon transportation means that the way in which we move ourselves and goods from one place to another is going to change forever. This transition needs to be executed thoughtfully to meet the needs of cities and the scale of change required. Large investments are needed to increase access to safe pedestrian and bicycle travel, low-carbon bus rapid transit, and electrified light rail.
All well and good, but let’s be careful to avoid the route taken by Macron in France which has resulted in a major setback.
Thank you Bruce for posting, and thank you to all the groups, especially the young people of Sunrise, that reached out to Rep. Kennedy and made such a strong case to him about the need to endorse Green New Deal. There was a very poignant moment in our meeting with him when Newton resident Richard Bail said “I have Stage 4 cancer. I won’t be on this planet much longer. I am asking you to sign the Green New Deal and do more on climate change because I am so worried about my grandchildren.”