During a campus visit Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris joined Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Kyle Whyte, a professor at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, to discuss climate change and the role that youth to solve the climate. crisis.
Instead of focusing on the role of youth organizing and activism as a way to address the climate crisis, however, the movement has a broader focus on infrastructure. “Almost everything that students study here is relevant and uplifting to this new movement and this new economy,” Harris said.
The decision to host an event in Ann Arbor was politically aware because of the city’s blue slant within a reliably purple state. But Harris’ decision to specifically talk about climate infrastructure investments reflects a growing realization that climate change could be an opportunity for economic growth in Michigan. With its temperate climate, manufacturing roots and availability of jobs, Michigan has the potential to emerge as a national leader in the midst of the climate crisis.
Today, American workers are beginning to act as a result of climate change. Thirty percent of Americans say climate change is a motivator for action, and many climate-vulnerable states like California are beginning to see their populations decline. Although some southern states have seen population growth recently, this is not predicted to last. “Cities like Detroit … will see a renaissance, with their overcapacity infrastructure, water supply and highways once again in great use,” predicted a New York Times article. A separate study confirmed that claim, predicting that the Great Lakes region’s low exposure to natural disasters, as well as low social vulnerability, would lead to population growth as the climate change.
As more Americans move north, Michigan has a chance to attract displaced, highly skilled workers and convince them to settle in the Great Lakes State. Tourism efforts have already been successful in stimulating economic activity in Michigan, but to convince visitors to make a permanent move, new jobs must be created.
Those jobs can be created in new green industries. Prior to his conversation with Harris, Granholm, a former governor of Michigan, pointed largely to the role technology and infrastructure investments passed by Democrats last year would play in strengthening the green energy solutions in Michigan.
Thanks to its climate-progressive state government, Michigan has risen to dominate the green energy industry. One of the most famous is a $ 7 billion investment in the production of electric vehicles in Michigan, expected to create 4,000 new jobs. Other investments are being made to strengthen electric vehicle battery production and renewable energy production. As the demand for these green technologies continues to increase, these investments will become more and more valuable for the state.
Harris is quick to point out that these investments aren’t the only manufacturing jobs being created. “We’re building a clean energy economy,” Harris said, “It’s new. It’s new jobs… We’re going to need HR specialists because these are new industries. We have communication people who know how to communicate the importance of this work.”
Climate change is also bringing a renewed focus on improving infrastructure in the U.S. Better transportation infrastructure results in more efficient travel, which ultimately leads to reduced emissions. As pressure builds for more environmentally friendly infrastructure development, federal and state governments will be under more pressure to make investments.
Michigan’s transportation infrastructure currently ranks in the bottom half of the nation, and devastating natural disasters will increase the need for improvements. Although the state’s poor roads and bridges may seem like an obstacle to fighting the climate crisis, it can actually be an opportunity. Today, investments are being made across the state. Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s plan to “rebuild Michigan” brings a $3.5 billion investment that will put 90% of the state’s roads back in “good or fair” condition by 2024. A more significant The federal plan brings $7.3 billion in road improvements, as well as $535 million in bridge investments.
These investments are not only significant in the amount of money they inject into Michigan’s economy. Many of these investments are made with climate change in mind. In addition to improving roads, the federal plan outlined above includes a $66 billion investment in public transportation, as well as $7.5 billion to build a network of electric vehicle charging stations across the state.
Harris introduced a simple example of where infrastructure investments can have an impact on the climate front: electric school buses. “Twenty-five million kids a day in America go to school on diesel-powered buses, and they’re inhaling toxic fumes,” Harris said.
Michigan’s infrastructure needs improvements, but it also presents a great opportunity for these improvements to be made in a way that emphasizes climate change, all while creating more jobs. and strengthened the economy of the state.
Climate change is having a devastating effect on the entire country. Although Michigan will face its own challenges in dealing with the climate crisis, it is uniquely positioned to benefit from it as well. Michigan’s geographic location means it will be spared the worst effects of climate change, likely resulting in an influx of workers from weaker states. Government programs designed to jump-start the green energy economy are also bringing white and blue-collar jobs back to the state, revitalizing the local economy. Ultimately, infrastructure investments implemented with climate resilience in mind will not only help Michigan weather the worst of climate change, but lower emissions and make green more affordable. solutions. Climate change will be a challenge, but if these challenges are met, we can, in the words of the vice president, “seize this opportunity.”
Jack Kapcar is an Opinion Columnist and can be reached at jkapcar@umich.edu.