FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Green New Deal Town Hall
Town Hall event brings together scientists, policy advocates, and community groups to discuss opportunities to address the climate crisis
Contact: Amanda Pankau, Prairie Rivers Network, 217-840-3057, apankau@prairierivers.org
Ryan Hidden, Sierra Club, 309-265-8057, ryan.hidden@sierraclub.org
PEORIA, IL—Prairie Rivers Network, the Heart of Illinois Group of Sierra Club, and several other local organizations hosted a “Green New Deal” town hall on the Illinois Central College North Campus on Wednesday night.
Dr. Don Wuebbels, co-author of a Nobel Peace Prize winning report on climate change and University of Illinois Professor of Atmospheric Science, opened the conversation with a presentation on the science of climate change, how it will impact the Midwest, and the need for large-scale action to avert the worst impacts.
The town hall included a question-and-answer session for the audience about how the Green New Deal, legislation proposed in Congress, would tackle the problem of climate change and the Clean Energy Jobs Act, an Illinois piece of legislation that would bring clean energy, jobs, energy efficiency, and environmental justice to the state.
“Legislative action is needed to combat climate change,” said Ryan Hidden, Organizing Representative with Sierra Club. “It’s a collective problem requiring collective action. Individual actions aren’t enough.”
Paul Campion of the Sunrise Movement, a speaker at the event, explained how a Green New Deal would tackle the problem of climate change. “Sunrise is a movement led by young people to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process through a Green New Deal,” said Campion. “To make climate change a priority in the U.S., we need to end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel money on politics and elect leaders who stand up for the health and well being of all people.”
Cate York of the Citizens Utility Board shared information about the Clean Energy Jobs Act, an Illinois legislation that would bring clean energy, jobs, energy efficiency, and environmental justice to Illinois.
“The Clean Energy Jobs Act is Illinois’ shot at a green new deal and an opportunity to lead the way on tackling climate change in an equitable and just way,” said Amanda Pankau, Energy Campaign Coordinator with Prairie Rivers Networks. “The bill calls for the creation of Clean Jobs Workforce Hubs and Clean Energy Empowerment Zones to provide support for disadvantaged and transitioning coal communities.”
Also on the speaker panel were Bill Knight, a unionist and labor journalist and delegate to the West-Central Illinois Labor Council, and Joyce Harant, a Peoria City/County Health Department Board Member. Knight shared Labor’s varying perspective of a green new deal and also what he considered inadequate and skewed media coverage of the resolution.
Harant spoke of the health effects of climate change, “Harmful public health consequences such as increases in some infectious diseases, respiratory and allergy complications due to climate change are becoming more apparent and costly in Illinois, the United States and the rest of the planet. We must continue to improve our planning in order to better adapt and protect people as our climate changes but also take action to mitigate carbon dioxide and methane air pollution.”
A number of organizations participated in the event, including: Prairie Rivers Network, The Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Central Illinois Healthy Community Alliance, Heart of Illinois Sierra Club, Black Justice Project, NAACP Peoria Branch, Change Peoria, and the Sunrise Movement.
“As a community we have to stop ignoring environmental problems because they only get worse and black and brown people are negatively impacted the most,” said Chama St. Louis, Founder of Black Justice Project. “Racial justice and environmental justice intersect, there should be a sense of urgency around fighting both.”
“Climate change and other environmental injustices are about us, and our community is the most impacted but undereducated when it comes to climate change,” said Marvin Hightower, President of Peoria NAACP.
“Every person needs to be taking action in the climate crisis happening now. Getting factual information on the Green New Deal is important for what we can be doing as
a nation,” said Joyce Blumenshine Heart of Illinois Group Sierra Club.
“The Climate can’t wait. In the face of federal inaction, Illinois needs to put itself on track for a 100% carbon free electric sector and begin the important work of addressing transportation emissions,” said Tracy Fox of Central Illinois Healthy Community Alliance. “CEJA couples these broad goals with programs that ensure that everyone shares the gains of the new green energy economy and its training, jobs and wealth-building opportunities provide a hand up to those so often left behind.”
Photos from the event are available here.
###
