Senate Dems share new climate report disappointing green groups and climate activists

Senate Democrats released a climate action report earlier this week leaving green groups, environmental activists, and progressive campaigners disappointed. 

Critics of the report are saying there is not nearly enough action involved to fight the threat of global heating that is caused by human activity. 

.@SenDemsClimate Committee’s #CaseForClimateAction report is a huge step forward for climate action in Congress

The new report outlines how bold climate action will grow the economy and improve lives for Americans across the country

Read the full report: https://t.co/KuGhFubLFt pic.twitter.com/SUSaMMAzUb

— Senate Democrats (@SenateDems) August 25, 2020

Senate Democrats are calling the report “The Case for Climate Action: Building a Clean Economy for the American People” and only mentions the Green New Deal, that was created last year, once in their report. 

According to Common Dreams, the newly-released report, which is the result of dozens of hearings and closed-door meetings, calls on the government to spend over $400 billion annually with the goal of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050. It also aims to create at least 10 million new U.S. jobs in clean energy manufacturing, research, and development, while reforming lobbying laws to curtail the outsize influence of the fossil fuel industry.

“We have the opportunity to build more and better jobs for the American people, jobs that’ll help re-stimulate the economy and aid in our transition to clean energy. When Democrats retake the majority in the Senate, we will unify to move swiftly on legislation to tackle the climate crisis,” he added. “Passing climate legislation will be a top priority for Senate Democrats and me,” says Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). 

Climate activists, however, blast the report saying it inadequate tackles one of the greatest threats to Earth’s future. 

“[The report] fails to address the vital need to end the extraction, processing, and burning of fossil fuels, and instead sees a future for fossil fuels tied to the false promise of carbon capture. It even fails to include a call to ban new fossil fuel extraction on public lands, a position that was endorsed by virtually all candidates in the Democratic presidential primary,” states Mitch Jones, director of policy for Food & Water Action.