1. A just and equitable 100% renewables plan that leaves no workers or communities behind.

    - We can address both the climate crisis and the inequality crisis with the same set of policies. As the impacts of climate change mount, the inequality crisis will continue to grow. We have to shift away from extracting and burning fossil fuels and towards a lower carbon economy. It is imperative that we recognize and achieve the targets for greenhouse gas emission reduction with the urgency that climate science requires.
    - We support a fossil fuel moratorium and the rapid movement toward 100% clean renewable energy - mainly wind and solar - by 2035. Strong energy efficiency goals and worker protections that ensure economic investment in renewable energy that uplifts workers and vulnerable communities, while protecting residential and small business ratepayers from being burdened by the transition.

2. Clean Air, water and land for all Virginians

     - We seek a sustainable future for the earth and its people. We believe that all people have a right to live and make a living on a healthy planet. Water and air quality, and soil health must be protected.

3. Large investments and job- training programs in renewables, building an energy efficient smart-grid, residential and commercial energy efficiency.

    - We recognize climate change represents a serious threat to all and especially to vulnerable people such as workers, BIPOC communities of color, seniors, youth and folks on the margins socioeconomically. Government at all levels need to act now because the warming planet puts prosperity out of reach for far too many.
    - Climate protection must serve as a means to greater economic justice and stronger local economies. The jobs created by climate protection must be good jobs that respect workers’ right to organize. Jobs must be open and accessible to those who have been excluded from, and discriminated against, in the labor force. Likewise, small businesses and local economies should thrive in a new clean energy economy.
    - We must ensure economic security and job placement programs for existing workers and young people. Workers employed in carbon-intensive industries should be guaranteed work in new industries and be provided strong social safety net benefits and free re-training opportunities. Young people benefit from career training for a wide-range of work opportunities in a clean energy future.

4. Investments in local-scale agriculture in communities across Virginia

    - We must ensure community participation and oversight in decision making. To do that, there needs to be resources and meaningful participation by community, labor, environmental justice, environmental, and other constituents.

5. Prioritize equitable, affordable and clean housing and transportation systems.

     - We prioritize climate-vulnerable frontline communities and resource-insecure communities so that private interests never compromise their health and well-being. Fairness, accessibility and equity ensures the burden of policies that are necessary for society shouldn’t be borne by a small minority who happen to be victimized by their side effects, but benefit us all.

1.  Be Inclusive. If we hope to achieve just societies that include all people in decision-making and assure that all people have an equitable share of the wealth and the work of this world, then we must work to build that kind of inclusiveness into our own movement in order to develop alternative policies and institutions to the treaties policies under neoliberalism. This requires more than tokenism, it cannot be achieved without diversity at the planning table, in staffing, and in coordination. It may delay achievement of other important goals, it will require discussion, hard work, patience, and advance planning. It may involve conflict, but through this conflict, we can learn better ways of working together. It’s about building alternative institutions, movement building, and not compromising out in order to be accepted into the anti-globalization club.
 
2.  Emphasis on Bottom-Up Organizing. To succeed, it is important to reach out into new constituencies, and to reach within all levels of leadership and membership base of the organizations that are already involved in our networks. We must be continually building and strengthening a base which provides our credibility, our strategies, mobilizations, leadership development, and the energy for the work we must do daily.
 
3.  Let People Speak for Themselves. We must be sure that relevant voices of people directly affected are heard. Ways must be provided for spokespersons to represent and be responsible to the affected constituencies. It is important for organizations to clarify their roles, and who they represent, and to assure accountability within our structures.
 
4.  Work Together In Solidarity and Mutuality. Groups working on similar issues with compatible visions should consciously act in solidarity, mutuality and support each other’s work. In the long run, a more significant step is to incorporate the goals and values of other groups with your own work, in order to build strong relationships. For instance, in the long run, it is more important that labor unions and community economic development projects include the issue of environmental sustainability in their own strategies, rather than just lending support to the environmental organizations. So communications, strategies and resource sharing is critical, to help us see our connections and build on these.
 
5.  Build Just Relationships Among Ourselves. We need to treat each other with justice and respect, both on an individual and an organizational level, in this country and across borders. Defining and developing “just relationships” will be a process that won’t happen overnight. It must include clarity about decision-making, sharing strategies, and resource distribution. There are clearly many skills necessary to succeed, and we need to determine the ways for those with different skills to coordinate and be accountable to one another.
 
6.  Commitment to Self-Transformation. As we change societies, we must change from operating on the mode of individualism to community-centeredness. We must “walk our talk.” We must be the values that we say we’re struggling for and we must be justice, be peace, be community.

Democratic Governance - Building open, responsive, and accountable government that serves the needs and preferences of the public. Ensuring that all have the opportunity to participate and have a voice in how they will be governed.

Defossilization, Energy Efficiency & Renewables (DEER) - Strategies for making Virginia's economy carbon free.

Food & Agriculture - Creating climate-smart solutions to reduce agriculture's damaging effects on soil health and climate, while protecting our communities from toxic chemicals in our water and food supply.

Sustainable Cities & Transportation - Working to build healthy, equitable communities through transportation funding, policy, and projects while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

Social Justice & Health Disparities - Identify and create transformative strategies and public policies to mitigate environmental and systemic injustices in order to improve health, equity, and liveability outcomes and to ensure an equitable and just transition that leaves no workers or communities behind.

Sustainable Jobs - As part of a Just Recovery, working to create thousands of good jobs while addressing the climate emergency and restoring Virginia’s environment.

Financing Green New Deal VA - Identify funding mechanisms on the state level to finance the change needed. Public Banking, Project Finance and Federal Funding.

Outreach and Education - Develop strategies, and build awareness and develop resources to educate a variety of audiences regarding the need for a Green New Deal VA.
This mission is complementary to, and meant to enhance, the work of other GNDVA working groups within the coalition.