CLIMATE ACTION NOW

Why Alan Cares

When Alan thinks of the climate crisis today, his first thought is about his children. His daughter Mirabelle, a Senior at Brookline High, has participated in the Sunrise Movement’s walk outs and is close friends with Saya Ameli Hajebi, one of Sunrise’s National Spokespeople. Reece, a 6th Grader at the Lincoln school has also walked out but he is also worried. One day out on a walk with their dog Zuzu, he turned to Alan and said “Dad, I’m scared. We’re destroying the Earth. Is it going to be here for me when I get older?”. Alan responded, “Don’t worry Reece. Your generation can save the planet. It is why Mom and I supported you and Mirabelle when you wanted to walk out. It is why I’m running for Congress. It is not too late.”

Many children like Reece are understandably scared and they are also taking action. Alan believes we have to support them and tackle the existential threat that Climate Change poses to us, our children and our grandchildren. The Crisis is real. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the United Nations gave us 10 more years to take action and fix our system, or we are past the point of no return. Even worse, real people are facing real problems in this district even today. Floods in our frontline communities that were expected to happen every 10 years are happening every year now.

Alan also cares deeply about environmental justice, as it has been part of his work with low income communities of color for decades. His experiences have helped him see first-hand how significant the disparities are in quality of water, access to resources, and environmental pollution between areas in this district, Commonwealth, and the country. Climate action is a question of justice, humanity, and sustainable development and that question drives Alan to take action alongside his peers in service. As a coalition builder, Alan will take an inclusive grassroots approach to leveraging the energy of all of the people who care about Climate Change to break the logjam in Congress on this issue so we can save our planet and create a future that our children can thrive and prosper in.

Guiding Principles

Climate Change is a global crisis that threatens humanity at every level, and must immediately be addressed with a strong response.

The United States has a significant responsibility to show leadership on climate action, as it could have potentially catastrophic effects on the global economy, public health, and peace and security.

Our social and political response to the climate crisis must be guided by science and evidence, all of which points to significant temperature rise from every year of inaction.

Clean energy technology can and will become a dominant global industry this century. America needs to lead in innovation by staying ahead of the curve in the green sector and in generating millions of green jobs.

The Facts

  • The IPCC predicts we have no more than 10 years to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions by at least 45% globally or we face the dire consequences of being unable to keep temperature rise below 1.5C
  • Climate change is predominantly caused by human activity, according to the Fourth U.S National Climate Assessment Report
  • The United States spends $20 billion per year on direct fossil fuel subsidies
  • According to the IMF, when factoring in externalities (environmental, health, social costs) U.S fossil fuels had a negative impact of $649 Billion on society
  • Daily tidal flooding on the coasts is accelerating in over 25 Atlantic and Gulf states
  • The last five years have been the hottest five years on record, and nine of the 10 warmest years ever have occurred since 2005
  • According to national security experts, higher levels of warming will pose catastrophic, and likely irreversible, global security risks over the course of the 21st century

ALAN'S VISION

Alan understands that Climate Change is an existential threat to life as we know it. It is an environmental issue, an energy issue, an economic issue and a national security issue. Tackling climate change requires a strong sense of urgency and a comprehensive approach.

Alan supports a Green New Deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, and guarantee new, quality, green, union jobs in construction, transportation, renewable energy, and all other industries.

Alan will push on day one that the U.S re-enter the Paris Agreement and will organize a bipartisan congressional delegation to participate in multiple channels of international negotiations to produce an even stronger agreement and restore American climate leadership.

Alan believes that there must be a federal price on carbon that creates a dividend for everyday Americans and uses revenue to reinvest into vulnerable communities, green tech research, electrifying our transportation system, and other climate priorities. This must be built within a Green New Deal framework.

Alan supports our frontline communities having the capacity to get quality education and work in the booming offshore wind sector by providing grants and resources to university students, vocational institutions, and community centers.

Alan will work to establish an Office of Environmental Justice within the DOJ and get Congressional funding for community-to-community action on public health, infrastructure, and equity. Alan will ensure all new climate legislation prioritizes environmental justice.

Alan will utilize his town councils in frontline communities to raise environmental and justice concerns on a regular basis. He will continue to seek federal funding for independent investigators, adaptation programs, and other critical projects which enable more people-power and less corporate influence in the community.

Alan will boost our investments in clean energy research and development. He will undo the Trump Administration’s attempts to cut investment by over 40%, he will improve federal efficiency standards, and roll back the egregious oil subsidies to allow renewable energy to be competitive in the marketplace.

Alan will work with Congressional partners to create a National Climate Coalition that includes climate advocacy groups, youth, academia, renewable energy sector representatives, and other key climate actors to unify on a series of Green New Deal bills to ensure its success.

Alan will create a standing MA-04 district council on climate change which is made up of frontline community members, youth representatives, local climate experts, and other interested leaders and members of the district.