The Green New Deal: Social Work's Role in Environmental Justice Policy.

Abstract

The words ``radical, zany, a fiscal fantasy” were among those used to describe the climate change–focused stimulus package known as the Green New Deal (GND), introduced by legislators Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ed Markey of Massachusetts in February of 2019 (Recognizing the Duty of the Federal Government to Create a Green New Deal, H.R. 109, 2019). Calling for an ambitious unified strategy to tackle climate change that moves America to 100 percent clean energy, the GND draft resolution makes guarantees for employment, fair pay, high-quality health care, access to affordable housing, and robust workplace health and antidiscriminatory standards. The GND has, unfortunately, become a partisan and politicized issue. Congressional Republicans, in March of 2019, forced a for-show vote and rejected the plan without expert testimony or due legislative process (McElwee, 2019). With a presidential administration that has slashed budgets for social and health programs while working to systematically dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency, there is an onslaught against environmentally and socially just policies with far-reaching consequences for the vulnerable populations that social workers are mandated to serve.