Climate Activists, Clean Energy Industry Prepare to Counter Hostile Presidency

2024 was a year of record-breaking impacts from climate change across North Carolina, from deadly extreme heat emergencies in the summer to the third-deadliest storm in the modern era in the fall. 

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that climate action advocates and our allies in the clean energy industry are treating the return of a climate-denying pro-polluter to the American presidency with alarm. Without denying the seriousness of the threat, it’s important to remember that we don’t have to take this menace sitting down. Indeed, we MUST not.

NC Can Play an Important Role

Across our state, advocates for climate action and environmental justice are getting ready to push back against retreat and for continued progress. There are avenues to use, including the continued support of North Carolina’s governor and attorney general, an established environmental justice council, and enough votes in the NC House to break its former pro-polluter supermajority.

The clean energy industry is bracing for impact as well, but also aware that momentum remains on the side of the real and positive impacts of the clean energy transition. More than enough Republicans in the U.S. House have seen the positive impacts of the clean-energy Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to vote against Trump’s plans to have it repealed. Huge IRA investments in North Carolina are in the process of building battery production plants, wind energy projects, and furthering development of the solar energy boom.

NC Benefitting from Transition to Clean Energy

NC League of Conservation Voters (NCLCV) Director of Governmental Relations Dan Crawford puts the mission plainly. “In North Carolina, transitioning to clean energy and growing electric vehicle manufacturing have already created significant job growth and economic benefits. During eight years with Gov. Roy Cooper in office North Carolina has added more than 20,000 new clean energy jobs and over $24 billion in clean energy industry investment. Solar capacity in the state has nearly tripled since 2017, rising from 2,631 megawatts to more than 7,450 megawatts. Governor Cooper has not only led the creation of our clean energy economy, but under his leadership, we’ve become the leading state in the country for rural clean energy jobs,” says Crawford. “But over the next four years, states will increasingly have to lead the way to ensure U.S. climate action continues, and that the progress we’ve made to build a clean energy economy doesn’t stall. It will be up to us – and Governor-elect Josh Stein – to keep ambition high and build on his own record and a strong environmental legacy left behind by Gov. Roy Cooper.” 

The holidays are over. It’s time to get back to work!