Stronger Together
IN JULY, I VISITED Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to speak at a renewable energy panel that was focused on the Biden administration’s proposed $500-million investment in the first commercial-scale green steel-manufacturing facility in the world. The excitement of the community, which will be the beneficiary of up to 6,000 construction jobs and 560 permanent jobs, was palpable. Green steel, which is manufactured using renewable energy sources, significantly reduces the emission of greenhouse gases of one of our most important construction materials. The rebirth of manufacturing jobs is bringing economic resurgence to formerly “left behind” communities across America. Noticeably, these manufacturing jobs are being powered by the climate goals contained in the Inflation Reduction Act — landmark legislation accomplished through decades of work by the environmental movement. The future of work is here and now, as emerging technologies transform industries without compromising the environment. This hasn’t always been the case. For decades, labor unions and environmental advocates have seemed like completely separate entities, yet they share significant common ground in recognizing that environmental degradation and labor exploitation are often the result of the same corporate greed. Advocates are slowly discovering that the solution to both the climate crisis and high unemployment lies in understanding that our movements are stronger together. We don’t have to choose. CeCe Grant, campaign director for Industrial Transformation at the Sierra Club, makes the case for greater solidarity between the labor and climate movements in this opening essay of our special labor and climate print issue.
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