Green New Deal—The Next Phase Of America's Climate Change Debate

JD
Jones Day

Contributor

Jones Day is a global law firm with more than 2,500 lawyers across five continents. The Firm is distinguished by a singular tradition of client service; the mutual commitment to, and the seamless collaboration of, a true partnership; formidable legal talent across multiple disciplines and jurisdictions; and shared professional values that focus on client needs.
The Green New Deal resolution, introduced in February to both houses of the U.S. Congress, signifies a new phase in the national debate over climate change policy in America.
United States Environment

The Green New Deal resolution, introduced in February to both houses of the U.S. Congress, signifies a new phase in the national debate over climate change policy in America. A central question of this debate is whether Congress should curtail fossil fuel use across American industries through a broad array of social and economic reforms and public works projects.

At a high level, the Green New Deal identifies a goal of keeping the global average temperature to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrialized levels by (i) reducing global greenhouse gas emissions from human sources by 40 to 60 percent from 2010 levels by 2030; and (ii) achieving net zero global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. A number of sweeping measures are proposed for the United States to help achieve these goals on a global scale; for example, meeting 100 percent of the U.S. power demand with renewable, zero-emission energy sources, and eliminating pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacturing, industry, agricultural, and transportation sectors "as much as technologically feasible."

While the political makeup in Washington makes it implausible that the Green New Deal will become law in the near term, further legislative efforts to achieve these outcomes may be on the horizon. The potential impact of the ensuing debate will vary from company to company but, in almost all cases, warrants serious attention in business, political, and legal planning efforts. For more information, see the related Jones Day Commentary, which also discusses a recent preliminary injunction request challenging fossil fuels in a federal circuit court case.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

Mondaq uses cookies on this website. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies as set out in our Privacy Policy.

Learn More