A 'Green New Deal' for Seattle

Natalie Bicknell reports that the Seattle City Council has voted to endorse the Seattle Green New Deal as spearheaded by the groups 350 Seattle and Got Green.

The vote follows a letter sent by the groups to Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and the Seattle City Council requesting more decisive action by the city to curb carbon emissions and prepare for climate change.

"Although Mayor Durkan released a Climate Strategy in 2018 [pdf], she has remained mute on the topic of a Green New Deal," according to Bicknell.

"The City Council, on the other hand, replied to 350 Seattle and Got Green with both an approval vote and endorsement letter that among other things underscored the need for continued public pressure, asking community leaders to hold elected officials accountable for creating the 'boldest and most visionary policies possible to meet the unprecedented crisis of climate change.'"

The article includes more discussion of the potential specific policy changes the Seattle Green New Deal could implement to effectively respond to climate change, and sets more of the political and intellectual context for the "Green New Deal" movement, both in Seattle and around the country.