Hi there GreenNewDealMakers!
It’s been a VERY busy few days on the climate beat, and—since this week’s pod, featuring a special sneak-preview of our interview with Senator Ed Markey, is all about what climate action in the Biden Administration could look like—we thought we’d just turn the newsletter into a curated twitter rundown (& brief commentary) of all the important news of the last few days—BECAUSE THERE’S BEEN A LOT—as the incoming Biden Administration’s climate team takes shape…
THE MOST HISTORIC NEWS OF THE WEEK…
In a momentous victory for Indigenous rights and communities, the #LandBack movement, the climate movement, people everywhere, and our public lands, Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM) has been chosen by the Biden Administration to lead the Department of the Interior. Haaland would be the first Indigenous person appointed to a Cabinet Secretary position in U.S. history.
Friend of the pod (and guest on this week’s show) Julian Brave Noisecat was not only one of the loudest and strongest supporters of #DebforInterior, (creating the hashtag, a strong stash of memes, and writing a MUST-READ profile about what picking Haaland would mean for Native Americans and Democrats…) he also played an integral, behind-the-scenes, role advocating for Rep. Haaland and influencing the incoming Administration’s choice. Noisecat coordinated and helped lead a strong coalition of Progressive groups including Data For Progress, the NDN Collective, the Indigenous Environmental Network, Sunrise Movement, and Justice Democrats, who successfully pushed for this historic nomination.
Next, as you might recall, Sunrise Movement and other progressive groups called on the incoming Administration to create an ‘Office of Climate Mobilization’ which would be a Domestic counterpoint to John Kerry’s new role as ‘International Climate Envoy.’ That call has now been heeded.
Former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy was chosen as the first National Climate Advisor at the new White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy on Tuesday. McCarthy, a climate-champion and strong advocate for environmental justice, was on Sunrise’s shortlist of top picks for the role.
Sunrise spokesperson Garrett Blad told The Washington Post…
This approach is one that Sunrise, and the Climate Movement writ large, has strongly advocated for. Here’s a tweet from Sunrise Political Director Evan Weber (who you’ll also hear from on this week’s pod) congratulating McCarthy…
McCarthy, in her previous role as President of NRDC, was an early advocate for the ‘Green Stimulus’ proposal that was floated in the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic by a group of progressive academics and thought-leaders.
Also on Tuesday, former Governor of Michigan, Jennifer Granholm, an outspoken supporter of renewable energy and electric vehicles (notably without any ties to the fossil fuel industry), was announced as Biden’s choice for Secretary of Energy. Leaving former Secretary of Energy, and noted supporter of fossil-fuels, Ernest Moniz, an advisor to Biden’s campaign who was often cited as a probable choice to reprise his role at DOE, on the outside looking in.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! On Wednesday it was announced that Brenda Mallory, a prominent environmental lawyer and advocate for environmental justice, who most recently led the Southern Environmental Law Center, would direct the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality…
The pick was praised widely, including by the father of the Environmental Justice movement, Dr. Robert Bullard…
And on Thursday, Biden picked Michael Regan, the Director of North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality, to be the next Administrator of the EPA.
Read more about the entire list of Climate nominees & appointees on the Biden-Harris Administration Transition Website, here.
A lot of wins for the climate movement this week, folks…HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
We’ll be back next week with a special Bonus ‘addendum’ to this week’s pod, where we will be discussing all these appointments in more depth!
In the meantime, please consider making a donation to support #GenGND and help us hit our end-of-year fundraising goals…We’re trying to raise $10K to continue producing the podcast and our short video content, and we’re approaching 1/3rd of our goal because of, you, our EXTREMELY generous (AND good-looking) supporters!
Please chip in to help us keep moving in 2021!
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This newsletter was written by Nate Birnbaum & edited by Pulkit Datta