Issue: Environmental/Climate Justice

Vote Solar’s “Just Partnership Principles were established in 2020 and will be used by staff and partners to hold Vote Solar accountable to our values. We aspire to grow as an organization in our ability to not only challenge injustice and advance just energy for all, but also to contribute meaningfully to the broad movement working to dismantle systems of oppression and build a regenerative future.”

Defines a “Regenerative Economy” in terms of the values, processes, and policies it entails.

This guide offers an “equity-based” approach to climate policy with suggestions for improving dialogues and collaborating to advance justice.

     
Review of research on the equity implications of a clean energy transition (how such a transition could negatively impact some groups and communities), and ‘just transition’ policies meant to abate those effects. The literature suggests that energy and climate policies and programs must specifically embed equity and social justice within climate change mitigation goals and emphasize commitments to job training and economic development to support those folks adversely affected by the transition away from fossil fuels to new, renewable sources of energy. (As Climate Justice Alliance phrases it, “Transition is inevitable. Justice is not.”)    

In response to the police killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Beronna Taylor, Tony McDade, and too many others, the Lab’s Executive Director, Sean Kosofsky, wrote to the Lab community to share the Lab team’s commitment to Black & Brown Lives.

Frames that include social and economic reforms increase public support for climate change mitigation. Combining increased minimum wage, affordable housing with job guarantees are effective frames, particularly among people of color. Advocates should consider linking climate policy to social and economic reforms. Policy bundling can expand the scope of political discussion and sidestep gridlock. In a series of experiments, the authors find that compared to frames that did not include any economic policy, hypothetical proposals that included a job guarantee, the retraining of fossil fuel workers, or provide unionized clean energy jobs increases support for the bundled policy by 6-14 percentage points.  Importantly: while the increase in support was higher for Democrats, NONE of the economic frames was associated with a decrease in support among Republicans. 
 

This groundbreaking and extensive document lays out the components of an ideal 100% policy that is grounded in a Just Transition framework and centers equity and justice. Authored by members of the 100% Network, it brings forward and coalesces the expertise from frontline communities.
The Building Blocks document was designed primarily for frontline organizations looking to develop and implement their own local renewable energy or energy efficiency policies with a justice framework. Secondly, is to build alignment with environmental organizations and intermediary groups that are engaged in developing and advocating for 100% policies.