Denver Passes Historic, Resident-Led Climate Action Funding Initiative

Denver, CO, November 09, 2020 --(PR.com)-- This week Denver voters approved Ballot Measure 2A, pushing Denver to the forefront of the national climate movement.

The tax-raising measure is the result of two years of community-led activism, a six month comprehensive stakeholder engagement process, and multiple City-Council hearings to define the course of climate action policy in Denver for the next decade. The initiative provides $40 Million annually to fund a specific set of greenhouse gas and air pollution reduction initiatives and prepare the city for the worst effects of the climate crisis. Most of all, 2A is unique in that it ensures this funding maximizes investment in communities of color, under resourced communities and communities most vulnerable to climate change, with 50% of the funding targeted to those communities.

"It is now more important than ever that we bring all members of the Denver community to the table and ensure that voices that have not been historically heard are prioritized and elevated in directing the solutions funded by 2A," says Thomas Riggle, Denver Climate Task Force member and an original member of Resilient Denver, the grassroots organization that started this movement.

Denver voters showed that local action is the start of global change. State and federal governments have come under heavy criticism recently from the environmentally conscious, outdoor-focused, increasingly younger and diverse voter base in Denver. This initiative appealed to that segment of voters as well as to labor groups and environmental justice organizations who have all too often seen climate funding skip over their constituents. The sentiments of urgency and ‘acting now’ were common themes among the wide variety of organizations supporting the initiative as were the direct call out and funding directives for climate justice and equity. As Denver Climate Action Task Force member and youth environmental advocate Sebastian Andrews stated in regard to the national implications of this event, “We’ve been abandoned by our federal government while we suffer from the greatest existential threat of our time. The passage of Measure 2A is Denver saying, ‘We cannot and will not wait for you to act.’”

The next steps for the group are helping build a new sustainability advisory council to oversee the new Climate Protection Fund being created as well as ensuring the greenhouse gas and air pollution reduction solutions recommended by the Climate Action Task Force are implemented quickly. Those solutions were developed to ensure the city meets the recommended new carbon reduction goals of 40% by 2025, 60% by 2030, and 100% by 2040. The city also has previous commitments to transition all municipal facilities to 100% clean, renewable electricity by 2025 and the rest of the community by 2030. These are some of the boldest climate action goals amongst major cities, and now Denver has funding to back them up. The measure is leading with a substantial margin and some remaining votes to be counted by Denver Elections.