It\’s Getting Hot In Here

Yesterday, June 21st, Trenton voted to overwhelmingly pass the Global Warming Response Act, ground-breaking legislation that will set an economy-wide cap on greenhouse gas emissions to bring levels down to 1990 levels by 2020 and 80% below 2005 levels by 2050. Following California’s and Minnesota’s leadership, New Jersey has set national precedent by showing what needs to happen politically to begin decarbonizing the world.

It’s worth to mention what made passage of this amazing bill into law possible. Since the beginning of the Global Warming Solutions Campaign by Environment New Jersey last year, citizen support has been building up. Last April, the New Jersey Climate March made it clear that citizens wanted this bill to pass, with over 20 press hits that reached out to thousands of New Jerseyans. Then, last month and earlier this month, Lobby Days gave the final push to convince legislators that this bill had to pass.

The entire effort was very unique. It was led by students at colleges and universities, large organizations like Environment New Jersey and the Sierra Club, citizens from all over the state, and the great support of the media (all collaborating together and in a meaningful way). It’s worth to mention some key people that made it happen: Suzanne Liou from Environment New Jersey, Ted Glick from the Climate Crisis Coalition, Don Wheeler from NJHEPS, Andrew Mathe and Meagan Terry from TCNJ, Dennis Markatos and Tetse Ukueberuwa from Princeton University, Binti Thakkar, Kruti Patel, and Rachel Dawn from Rutgers University, Brittany Hopkins and Michael Parish from the NJ Climate March Team, and… myself. Thanks to all who helped in any way. New Jersey seriously rocks!