The Biden administration has been blocked in Congress from pushing forward with the climate provisions of its Build Back Better bill. As the president considers a more forceful use of executive orders, policymakers and activists are also taking another look at how to advance the Green New Deal at the local level. Pre-register here.

New and innovative policies advancing a clean energy transition and well-paying Green jobs have been appearing at the city, county, and state level. Are they transforming America from the ground up? Can they substitute for federal action? Will they be able to bridge the divide between a Green and a non-Green America?

Rebecca Leber, who covers climate change for Vox, will moderate the discussion. Prior to Vox, she was an environmental reporter at Mother Jones, where her investigations exposed government corruption and fossil fuel industry disinformation.

Panelists:

Luis Aguirre-Torres is the director of sustainability in Ithaca, NY, where he is leading the effort to transform the city’s Green New Deal to be more effective and just. Julia Peak is director of communication and mobilization at the Urban Sustainability Directors Network. Among her many responsibilities, she helps improve cooperation between the federal and local levels. Susie Strife directs and manages all of Boulder County’s sustainability efforts, policies, and programs with a special focus on clean energy, finance, and climate action. She also teaches at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

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