EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 am ET, September 4, 2019
Contact:
Chris Meagher, (805) 452-3228
chris@peteforamerica.com

Pete Buttigieg Releases A Plan to Mobilize America: Rising to the Climate
Challenge
[PFA.com Link]
SOUTH BEND, IN — ​Today, Pete Buttigieg released an innovative plan [link] to bring
Americans together behind urgent action to address the threat of climate change and meet
the greatest challenge of our time. Pete’s plan channels all of our energies into a national
project—one that unifies every American, from big cities to rural communities, around this
urgent threat and seizes the tremendous opportunity of a new era of climate action.
“For too long Washington has chosen denial and obstruction as we’re faced with the
imminent catastrophic effects of climate change,” ​sa​id B​uttigieg.​ “But the timeline that
compels us to act isn’t set by Congress—it’s being dictated by science. Climate change
impacts not only our coasts, but also farmers, small businesses, homes, and
communities across our country. A farmer practicing smart soil management in Iowa
should be as much a symbol of combating climate change as someone driving an
electric vehicle in Los Angeles. My plan ensures that no community is left behind as we
meet the challenge of our time with the urgency and unity it demands.”
This crisis isn’t a far off challenge, it is affecting us all today. Farmers are losing crops due to
extreme weather events and longer breeding periods for crop-killing pests, the cost of flood and
fire insurance is skyrocketing, and our children are suffering from increased asthma rates and
other climate-related health problems. Farmers will lead the way in our fight against climate
change by pioneering climate-smart farming techniques, providing our energy sector with
renewable biofuels, and being good stewards of the land so future generations can continue to
thrive.
Pete’s plan takes decisive action to eliminate greenhouse gas pollution and restore American
leadership to put the world on a path to limit warming to 1.5°C. It builds coalitions across the
country in urban and rural areas, all while creating new American jobs and exporting our climate
innovations to the rest of the world. These efforts will unify our country while creating more than

 three million high-paying clean energy jobs over the next decade and ensuring that the United
States becomes a zero-emissions electricity system by 2035.
Pete’s plan [link] tackles the climate change crisis head on:
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Build a clean electricity system with zero emissions and require zero emissions for all
new passenger vehicles by 2035
Transition all new trucks, buses, ships, and planes by 2040, and all industrial,
manufacturing, and agriculture by 2050, to net-zero emissions
Enact an economy-wide price on carbon and rebate the revenue back to Americans
Quadruple federal clean energy R&D to invest $200 billion over 10 years
Issue U.S. Climate Action Bonds to help pay for clean energy and resilience deployment
Abolish subsidies for polluters and reverse the dangerous Trump rollbacks
Deploy clean energy technologies financed by three new innovative investment funds
with more than $550 billion of funding
Support sustainable farming methods and invest in soil carbon sequestration
Issue an energy efficiency tax rebate to cover 30% of the cost of the improvements for
residential homes and apartment building
Deploy community-centric resources​—​including resilient transportation options and
community solar​—​so those without a rooftop or car can access locally-sourced clean
energy and accessible public buses, subways, and low-cost car share systems
Promote funding for under-resourced communities through the Clean Energy Bank to
ensure they have access to clean energy technology and resilient infrastructure.
Elevate consultation with tribal governments and Native communities and fight alongside
tribes to stop any development that potentially harms their land and people
Stand up a $200 billion transition assistance fund for displaced workers and to provide
training and transition support, and guaranteeing a robust social safety net, including
retirement and health benefits available to all who want them.
Build Regional Resilience Hubs with $5 billion annual grants to invest in locally driven
high-impact pre-disaster mitigation efforts
Establish a National Catastrophic Disaster Insurance program to provide stability to
individuals and communities
Prepare military and foreign service for climate threats
Launch a Climate Corps initiative as part of Pete’s ​New Call to Service
Renew America’s Commitment under the Paris Climate Agreement and increase global
climate goals
Host a Pittsburgh Climate Summit of mayors and other officials to commit to decisive
action in their communities in his first 100 days in office

Read Pete’s full plan [link] to unite Americans behind bold action to meet the challenges of
climate change.
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