Pelosi Unveils Climate Plan That McCarthy Says ‘Would Punish the American Economy’

On the steps of the US Capitol today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled a climate plan today that she said would solve the “climate crisis.” The plan would set a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

“Democrats know the climate crisis is the essential crisis of our time, threatening public health, jobs and the economy, national security and values,″ Pelosi said at the news conference.

Democrats are committed to #SolvingTheClimateCrisis. Tune in as we unveil our action plan.

Democrats are committed to #SolvingTheClimateCrisis. Tune in as we unveil our action plan.
https://t.co/cd83QAgZFr

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) June 30, 2020

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said the plan “would punish the American economy” as well as “gives China a free pass to pollute” and that it “wasn’t debated once by Members of Congress.” He believes the “radical climate change agenda” was written “for China.”

Nancy Pelosi just released her radical climate change agenda—written by Democrats and for China.

· It punishes the American economy
· Gives China a free pass to pollute
· Wasn’t debated once by Members of Congress

— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) June 30, 2020

Republicans want a cleaner, safer, healthier environment—through carbon capture, exporting clean energy technology, and conservation like the #TrillionTree Initiative.

We can put America first AND be good stewards of our environment at the same time.

— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) June 30, 2020

From the AP:

The election-year plan backed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other leaders is less ambitious than a sweeping Green New Deal that a group of progressive Democrats outlined last year to combat climate change and create thousands of jobs in renewable energy.

The Green New Deal, championed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., calls for dramatic steps to virtually eliminate U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 with a goal of meeting “100% of the power demand in the United States through clean, renewable and zero-emission energy sources,” including nuclear power.

The new plan, put forth Tuesday in a 538-page report, offers similar goals but at a slower pace. It sets a range of targets, including a 45% reduction by 2030 of greenhouse gas emissions, which cause global warming.

The plan also would require that by 2035 new cars emit no greenhouse gases, while heavy-duty trucks would eliminate those emissions by 2040. The plan would eliminate overall emissions from the power sector by 2040 and all but eliminate greenhouse emissions from all economic sectors by 2050.

Supporters say the plan, presented by Democrats on the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, by 2050 would save more than 60,000 American lives every year thanks to reduced air pollution, as well as nearly $8 trillion thanks to health and climate benefits.