On April 10, 2019, Chicago became the largest city in the United States to commit to 100% clean, renewable energy by 2040.
Kyra Woods, Chicago organizer Ready for 100 Action Campaign, said:
Setting the goal to power our city with 100 percent clean, renewable energy is a monumental achievement. It is through bold, local action that we can enable meaningful participation and cultivate strong benefits for our local communities throughout this process.
The city council unanimously passed legislation that commits Chicago to 100% renewable energy to all of its buildings by 2035 and complete electrification of its CTA bus fleet of over 1,850 buses by 2040. Meanwhile, the Illinois Clean Energy Jobs Act plans to move the entire state to 100% clean energy by 2050.
The nonbinding resolution was supported by the Ready For 100 Chicago Collective, a union consisting of several organizations, including:
- Chicago Youth Alliance for Climate Action,-Respiratory Health Association
- People for Community Recovery
- Sierra Club Illinois Chapter
- The Climate Reality Project Chicago Chapter
- Citizens Utility Board
- SEIU Local 1
- Other environmental, education, youth, labor, and justice groups across Chicago
The resolution states:
Residents of communities experiencing disproportionate cumulative impacts of environmental exposures and population vulnerability, as well as other communities across Chicago, desire a just transition away from all fossil fuels that prioritizes environmental justice, public health, community self-determination, high-quality jobs, and ownership opportunities for local residents.
This move adds Chicago to the list of more than 100 other cities across the US, including California, Atlanta, Berkeley, and Gainesville, Florida, that have committed to transition into 100% clean energy.
