The December deadline for the Vermont Climate Action Plan is fast approaching, and the Vermont Climate Council wants your input! VPIRG members came out in force this past week to attend the Council’s in-person hearings at state parks across Vermont. If you were able to attend in person, thank you for making your voice heard!
But if you weren’t able to attend, you still have an opportunity to weigh in for a climate action plan that dramatically reduces Vermont’s climate pollution and does so equitably. The Council’s public engagement team will be holding several virtual events on Thursday, September 30th and Wednesday, October 6th from 6:00 to 7:30 PM to discuss the upcoming Plan and what your priorities for the state’s climate work are. There will also be a session for BIPOC communities on October 5th from 6:00 to 7:30 PM.
It is absolutely critical that Vermonters show up to these meetings and help inform what direction we should take to address the climate crisis in our state. If you missed the first round of in-person events this is a great opportunity to make your priorities for climate action heard. If you plan on attending, let us know and we’ll follow up with you!
I’M INTERESTED, SIGN ME UP!
The Global Warming Solutions Act that you pushed so hard to get across the finish line last year requires big cuts to climate pollution in Vermont by 2025 – and much bigger cuts by 2030 and beyond. The legislature has already gotten a start on that work, committing to big climate investments over the next three years, but there is so much more to do.
The Vermont Climate Council must do its job and put together a plan that cuts climate pollution dramatically while building resilience to the impacts of the climate crisis and advancing equity, ensuring all Vermonters can be part of this transition.
They need to hear that from you. These public engagement events are our best chance to ensure the Council is supporting the right investments in the right places to ensure this Climate Action Plan works for everyone. We see 3 major criteria that need to be met:
- The Plan needs to cut carbon pollution across Vermont’s economy, in line with the Solution Act’s requirements and what climate science demands,
- It needs to do so equitably, so nobody is left behind, and
- It needs to support the real, significant long-term funding necessary for points 1 and 2 to be accomplished.
If there are specific ideas you want to propose or programs you want to support, that’s fantastic. If you don’t, that’s fine too. Either way, your voice matters. The only way we can accomplish transformative climate action is if our leaders hear it from you. These events allow the voice of the public to help steer our future, so make your voice heard and attend! Again, the two virtual meetings will be on September 30th and October 6th, with a meeting for BIPOC communities on October 5th, all from 6:00 to 7:30 PM.
Please let us know if you plan on attending, or want to be more involved in our activism around the Climate Council!