CHICAGO, Illinois — The steps towards addressing climate change factors continues for Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. He will be one of several Democratic governors participating in the United Nations' climate change talks in Glasgow, Scotland this week.
Gov. Pritzker joined the Chicago British Consulate General on Monday, Nov. 1 to celebrate Illinois' climate change actions this year.
The governor signed a clean energy legislation on Sept. 15, making Illinois a national leader in combating climate issues. The new bill eliminates fossil fuels and seeks to put millions of electric vehicles on the road by 2030.
Pritzker's legislation also makes Illinois the first Midwest state to require 100% carbon-free energy by 2045.
In his press conference on Monday night, Pritzker called it, "the most ambitious and equitable" climate and clean-energy bill in the United States.
"With our collective efforts, Illinois is making history," Pritzker said. "Taking a giant leap forward to mitigate the impacts of climate change...The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act is the most significant step Illinois has ever taken towards a reliable, renewable, and clean-energy future."
Prtizker and his partners have also passed an electric vehicles incentives package which he says will give Illinois a leading role in a clean-transportation revolution.
This new package is aimed at attracting electric vehicle manufacturers and consumers. In combination with the new-clean energy bill, Pritzker says this will create "thousands" of clean-energy jobs in Illinois.
"(The changes) makes critical investments in communities that have disproportionally suffered the impacts of climate change," Pritzker said. "It doubles our investments in renewable energy, and sets new efficiency goals in our state."
The governor added he couldn't be more excited to take Illinois' initiatives to the United Nations Climate Talks this week.
Discussions will begin in London, before heading to the U.N.'s COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland.
"When it comes to addressing climate change, there is no time to lose," Pritzker said. "There's more work to do, there's no doubt about it. But imagine, we (Illinois) get to go to COP26, and represent as one of the best in the United States."
