Despite Climate Policy Setbacks, a Just Transition Is Still Within Reach

In an interview with C.J. Polychroniou, PERI Co-Director Robert Pollin talks about the forces resisting a green transition to a fossil-fuel free future, and he highlights the results of a major study he and his coauthors produced for advancing a green transition in Michigan. According to Pollin, there are simply no technical or economic considerations preventing Michigan and other U.S. states from achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

“In terms of purely technical and economic considerations, it is entirely realistic for Michigan and other states to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. But …, there is no getting around that the opposition is formidable, especially coming from the fossil fuel corporations and their bought politicians. Still, it stands as one significant counterforce to this opposition that the Michigan state government remains committed to its carbon neutrality project.”