Setting MN's climate standards using the best science

Minnesota is the fastest-warming state in America, threatening our farmers, causing flooding, and costing every Minnesotan. Climate change is the top public health crisis of the 21st century - vying with the pandemic,  affecting people of color and poor communities disproportionately. Minnesotans are seeing the health impacts right now - including Lyme disease, poor air quality, worsening allergies, extreme heat and mental health impacts. Our children and grandchildren deserve a livable climate but we will fail to give them one unless we set science-based climate standards and then meet them. 

Setting science-based climate targets and measuring our progress is the first step toward taking the bold climate action needed. Unless science-based standards guide our actions, we will fail in our efforts to address the climate crisis.  We set Minnesota’s bipartisan climate standards fourteen years ago in the Next Generation Energy Act of 2007 using the most current science, but we have learned much since then. We must update our standards to reflect the targets that scientists tell us are needed to avoid the worst climate impacts.

The Next Generation Climate Act, introduced by Rep. Patty Acomb (DFL-Minnetonka) does exactly that. It updates our climate targets and sets them based on the best available science - including a net zero greenhouse gas pollution by 2050 target. It requires that our governmental actions are consistent with these targets, and requires annual reporting on progress toward meeting these goals. 

Minnesota led the nation in setting bipartisan, science-based climate targets in 2007. We must do so again if we are to protect a livable climate for our children and grandchildren. Please take action below to tell your State Representative to support and sign onto the Next Generation Climate Act as a co-author.