New polling: More than half of likely U.S. voters would more likely vote for their member of Congress in 2024 if they cosponsored the Green New Deal

Report Text (PDF) | Implementation Guide (PDF) | Press Conference (VIDEO)

Washington (February 6, 2023) – Surrounded by labor, youth, and environmental justice leaders and activists, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) today celebrated the five-year anniversary of the first introduction of the Green New Deal resolution in Congress. Over the past five years, Green New Deal advocacy has galvanized climate action, catapulted environmental justice to the top of the national agenda, and helped deliver historic victories. From the introduction of federal legislation to support for interdisciplinary components of a Green New Deal, to local passage of Green New Deal resolutions, to initiatives that advance inclusive and equitable climate solutions, the movement for a Green New Deal is organizing at all levels and fighting for more solidarity, more investments, and more action.

Senator Markey and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez today unveiled a new report, “Five Years of the Green New Deal,” spotlighting what the Green New Deal means for communities and proposals for the future. The report details how public investments in Green New Deal goals have already resulted in major growth of climate solutions, clean energy jobs, and funding for environmental justice communities. It also highlights new polling about the popularity of the Green New Deal and lays out the legislative, implementation, and organizing victories needed in the next five years. 

In the report, Senator Markey and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez wrote, “Since introducing the Green New Deal resolution, our movement has delivered monumental victories, and Green New Deal projects have started to take root in our communities. We have seen billions in new funding and witnessed a decades-delayed sea change in how we prioritize justice and union jobs in our project of building a clean economy. In the last five years we took a major step forward, one that most said was impossible. In the next five, we’ll need to take a step that’s ten times bigger.” 

The lawmakers continued, “We know the stakes of this fight. We know the only choice is to win. We know a Green New Deal will deliver a livable future. Five years into the Green New Deal, we can’t stop now. Join us.”

The Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate and clean energy bill ever to pass in U.S. history, is already delivering for communities with climate resiliency funding and the creation of technical assistance centers for environmental justice communities to help families and grassroots organizations in navigating funding opportunities. Most recently, the Biden administration heeded the call led by Senator Markey and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez for a Civilian Climate Corps by announcing the launch of the new American Climate Corps program to mobilize and train a diverse generation of 20,000 service members for the climate resilience economy. 

A copy of the report, Five Years of the Green New Deal, can be found HERE.

In April 2023, Senator Markey and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez unveiled a “Green New Deal Implementation Guide” on how municipalities, states, Tribes, and nonprofits can develop their own Green New Deal projects, using the funding and new programs secured through five years of advocacy for a Green New Deal. 

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