Green new deal for NH

Climate Action Plans and Policy Change

Overview

We need policy change at the local, state, and federal level that meets the urgency of the climate crisis. We need to address our region’s overlapping crises: racial injustice, economic inequality, housing shortages, workers rights, and climate change. We can mobilize to achieve 100% clean and renewable energy, guarantee living-wage jobs for anyone who needs one and a just transition* for both workers and frontline communities.

*A just transition means that workers in the industry and traditionally marginalized communities will be included in the decision making process and prioritized in the outcomes.

What are our goals?

We must center climate justice in our work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address pollution.

Our goals for a climate action plan at a local, state, and federal level must address the fact that the populations who face the highest burden of impact from the climate crisis are the same people who contribute the least to the crisis. Our current energy grid and environmental policy is wholly inadequate to slow the progression of climate change. Our goals for furthering climate justice in NH include:

  • Pushing the state to get to 100% renewable energy by 2040, which includes banning any new fossil fuel infrastructure, increasing energy efficiency efforts, and improving transmission systems (this transition cannot include nuclear, biomass, or hydrogen energy).

  • Establishing environmental justice standards that prevent more burden of pollution and negative health impacts on disadvantaged communities.

  • Improving climate literacy education by including the social, economic, and political impacts of climate change in school curriculum.

  • Establishing job training programs that prioritize our workers’ rights and a just transition.

  • Expanding electric vehicles, electric bicycles, and public transportation options to reduce emissions from the transportation sector.

  • Requiring polluters to be responsible for the messes they make (including PFAS).

  • Building on climate resiliency programs to protect community health, environmental health, and resiliency from increased storms, droughts, and floods.

  • Working across issues with racial justice, housing, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant justice, and peace organizations to support each other's efforts for justice.

Our Campaign

350NH has been advocating for a climate action plan since our inception. By working with coalitions, pressuring state agencies, and educating the public, we can pass legislation that meets the needs of our communities. 

Green New Deal: We work with a powerful grassroots in New Hampshire to build public support for a progressive policy sweep that mirrors many aspects of the Green New Deal. We’re developing policies and programs, conducting public education and building grassroots power to achieve a region-wide jobs guarantee, universal healthcare, affordable housing, racial justice, and climate action through state policy change. 350NH also puts pressure on our Congressional Delegation to ensure that they support a Green New Deal. 350NH hosts office visits and petition drives and we get senators on the record asking for support in public venues. We used these tactics to force every major democratic presidential candidate to support the Green New Deal in 2020 and we will keep up the pressure to ensure that our delegation does the same.

A People’s NH Climate Action Plan: New Hampshire has failed in the past to establish emission reduction goals. Our dependence on imported fracked gas and failure to transition to renewable energy has led to increased energy rates in our utility bills. We can prioritize policies and structural changes that center climate justice by prioritizing the people most impacted by climate change over the profits of fossil fuel companies. 

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Support a bold climate action plan.

 FAQs

  • The Green New Deal is plan to mobilize American society to 100% clean and renewable energy, guarantee living-wage jobs for anyone who needs one and a just transition* for both workers and frontline communities-all in the next 10 years. It’s five main goals are: 1) Reach net-zero in greenhouse gas emissions through a just transition for all workers and communities, 2) Create millions of good, livable-wage jobs and ensure economic security for all people in the United States, 3) Invest in infrastructure and industry in the US to sustainably meet future challenges, 4) Secure clean air and water, climate and community resilience, access to nature, food security, and a sustainable environment for all, 5) Promote justice and equity by stopping, preventing, and/or repairing the historic oppression of frontline and vulnerable communities.

  • Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) introduced the Green New Deal resolution in February of 2019. The resolution set goals to cut carbon emissions across the economy (from electricity generation to transportation to agriculture) and create thousands of good jobs to boost the economy. Click here to read the Full Resolution.

    Some Congresspeople have introduced specific legislation that stems from the Green New Deal since the resolution was first introduced, including the Green New Deal for Public Housing. Efforts to continue this trend continue in Congress.

  • 50NH is a member of the coalition fighting for GND inspired policies at the state level. We work with progressive organizations in the state to build political power at the state house and pass legislation that addresses overlapping injustices.

  • The Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) got a grant in 2023 to update the state’s wholly inadequate 2009-climate-plan. We attended their community listening sessions and met with department staff to advocate for our version of a climate action plan that we proposed. NHDES submitted their priority climate action plan to the federal government and are hoping to get funding to start addressing emissions in the housing and transportation sectors. We will continue to follow this process as the state requests federal grant money to implement clean energy solutions in our state. We will need NH legislators to support policy change proposals from this process in order to fully implement the goals of the climate plan into state law.