By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
Managing Editor Yann Brandt has done a masterful job since the midterm elections of highlighting the victories clean energy advocates won around the country, and he has rightly suggested that the momentum for clean energy is becoming more overwhelming every day (except in places like Arizona, which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever).
But an article from the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank, suggest the news might be even better than even Yann and I think it was.
In the article, writer Christy Goldfuss highlights six new governors who campaigned strongly on dealing with climate change and won election. That’s not even the most exciting part, however. What’s most exciting to me is that three of those governors have pledged to work toward a 100% clean energy transition between 2030 and 2050 in their states. Currently, only two states (California and Hawaii) have 100% goals – but if the governors Goldfuss highlights stick to their pledges, that may not be the case for long.
J.B. Pritzker, who won election in Illinois, comes into a good situation already. With the Future Energy Jobs Act already on the books and strong actions by the state’s energy agency already to carve out a solar future, a 100% goal is certainly within reach. And with a new Democratic legislature in place, expect Pritzker to succeed in his goals. Here’s hoping, anyway.
Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan’s newly minted governor elect, spent her campaign talking about setting up an Office of Climate Change to examine the effects of climate change on her state (something we need in my home state of Ohio, too) and has committed to a 100% clean energy transition as well. With utilities that have moved in the direction of shedding their coal generation by 2040, the state appears to be on the path to clean energy as well.
Finally, Tony Evers, who unseated longstanding Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, has pledged to join the U.S. Climate Alliance, which is a group of states committed to upholding as many tenets of the Paris Climate Accords as possible. He, too, has committed to transitioning the state to 100% clean energy. From my perspective, he has the most uphill battle of any of the new governors. But given Wisconsin’s progressive past, I’m confident he’ll make it work.
There’s other good climate-related news in the article, too, but this post is getting too long. Go read Goldfuss’ piece. You’ll be glad you did.
More: