Fight for Environmental Justice and Climate Action

It is unacceptable for fossil fuel and energy companies to dictate how we treat our planet. We need bold action and a transformation of our political and economic systems to combat climate change. Those who have been and will be most impacted by climate change must be centered in our policies: communities of color and Indigenous populations, along with impacted workers who deserve a just transition to a clean-energy future.

• Our government gives the fossil fuel industry $757 billion of subsidies every year, according to the IMF – money we should be using to fight the climate crisis and invest in our communities
• The Inflation Reduction Act is remaking our economy by advancing clean energy, and we should double down on these historic investments
• People of color and Indigenous Minnesotans are disproportionately affected by climate change and pollution – our transition to clean energy gives the opportunity to address historical environmental injustices

Vision and policy priorities

Achieve 100% renewable energy nationwide

We need a complete shift away from fossil fuels. We must build a green society and invest in alternative energy sources and energy efficiency programs. Energy efficiency alone is predicted to keep over $2 trillion in the pockets of Americans by 2030, and will create millions of jobs and begin to beat back climate change.

• Make sure we maximize the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act, especially in environmental justice communities
• Invest in access to renewable energy for communities that have been most impacted by the negative effects of climate change and ensure that renewable energy is affordable for all
• Prohibit new extraction of fossil fuels and fossil fuel infrastructure projects
• Ensure the United States honors our commitments to the Paris Climate Agreement and leads the world in the fight against the climate crisis

Transition to a green economy

We must break the fossil fuel industry’s monopoly over our energy grid and create a just transition to a green economy. I reject the false dichotomy created by the fossil fuel industry between having jobs and a clean environment. We must ensure that those employed in the fossil fuel economy are adequately transitioned to employment in the green economy. A Green New Deal will create millions of jobs for workers in both rural communities and low-wealth communities.

• End the $757 billion that fossil fuel corporations receive in tax subsidies each year
• Invest in a Green New Deal, ensuring that we are investing in clean energy systems, and providing millions of jobs to workers currently in the fossil fuel economy, and for workers currently shut out of the economy
• Invest directly in areas that have been harmed by environmental racism

Fight for Environmental Justice at home and abroad

Environmental justice is the bedrock of how we work on any effort to reduce pollution and address the climate crisis.

• Create an international Loss and Damage Fund to support countries that face irreparable harm due to the climate crisis
• Stop mining and infrastructure projects that violate Indigenous treaty rights and further entrench our reliance on fossil fuels
• Make sure communities of color have access to job training and placement programs in the clean energy sector
• Advance transit and pedestrian transportation options and address historic impacts by the racist construction of our highway systems

Create zero-waste communities

Achieving zero waste is crucial to building sustainable and resilient communities. Poor waste management negatively affects the health of both local populations and our planet. Areas like North Minneapolis and the Phillips neighborhood are disproportionately affected by air pollution. We must continue to advance legislation like my Zero Waste Act, parts of which were signed into law, in order to: 

• Invest in solutions that address the waste epidemic plaguing our country
• Allow cities to build recycling infrastructure or create partnerships with local businesses aimed at reducing waste in their operations
• Expand participation in recycling and composting programs