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Dear NRDC Supporter,

This fall, the state of Illinois passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act
(CEJA) into law — one of the most comprehensive pieces of climate
legislation ever. It includes a path to 100 percent carbon-free energy by
2045 and an unprecedented focus on workers and equity.

The passage of this game-changing law is a remarkable feat in a state
where just a decade ago, less than 2 percent of its power came from
renewable energy sources. So you might be wondering: how did they do it?

The answer could provide a roadmap for other states seeking to accelerate
the shift to clean energy: they built it from the ground up. A broad
coalition of groups — from businesses and organized labor to faith-based
organizations and youth-led climate groups — went deep into communities
across the state to ask, "What do you want to see out of this transition?"

Their efforts produced a sea change in how Illinois will power itself
moving forward. [ [link removed] ]Learn more about how this diverse coalition came
together to pass this landmark climate legislation at NRDC.org!

[ [link removed] ]This is the kind of monumental shift that is needed if we're going to stand a
chance against climate change. - J.C. Kibbey, Ilinois Clean Energy Advocate

Part of what makes CEJA such a dramatic — and positive — departure from
past efforts is the law's emphasis on the communities that historically
have been most impacted by fossil fuels, including workers, low-income
residents, and residents of color. That's because frontline communities
shaped the law and fought to ensure equity was at the center of CEJA.

"Growing up, I thought that ... everyone's neighborhood was filled with
factories and semi-trucks," said Adelina Avalos, the state director for
the Illinois Youth Climate Movement. Avalos says she threw herself into
the fight for CEJA because it was one of the first pieces of legislation
she'd seen that actually addressed the longstanding environmental racism
she'd witnessed growing up on Chicago's highly industrial and
predominantly Latino Southeast Side.

[ [link removed] ]We've done a deep dive into the history behind this formidable
coalition and the incredible climate action it's pushing forward — check
it out here.

- NRDC

The mission of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is to
safeguard the Earth: its people, its plants and animals, and the natural
systems on which all life depends.

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