Ben Jealous: Investing in tomorrow…Clean energy as the path to prosperity for all

Adobe Stock Photo (TriceEdneyWire.com)—On Earth Day 1993, I delivered the first major speech of my life. It was in New York City’s Bryant Park, kicking off a nationwide tour to rally opposition to the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The crowd was about 10,000 people. I was there representing the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) and joining& national& leaders from the environmental and labor movements. I was 20 years old and it was nerve-racking. It was my first time speaking to a crowd that was not principally students. And helped me find my public voice, not just on the environment but on the rights of working people. Now, 31 years later, Earth Day 2024 again marks a moment when the fate of our planet and the fate of working people in our country are tied together.& The climate crisis can only be solved with our transition to an economy based on clean energy. And that next economy is here. Unlike 31 years ago, the landmark policies now shifting the economic landscape are providing powerful incentives for investments in the country and the planet. They are bills like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Biden-Harris administration’s...