400+ Student Body Presidents Back the Carbon Dividends Solution
Exciting news! The “Student Government Leaders’ Statement on Carbon Dividends”—the largest statement of student government presidents in US history—has now sailed past 400 supporters. Originally announced this summer, this initiative continues to attract the support of young leaders from across the country.
Collectively, these 400+ student body presidents—the senior-most elected student leader on any campus—hail from all 50 states and represent more than 4 million students. This includes schools ranging from the University of Michigan and Notre Dame, to BYU and Hillsdale, to Delaware State and Howard, to Bowdoin and the University of Alaska.
“As young people, with decades of life ahead, we are clear-eyed about what climate disruption means for our generation. That’s why we recognize the power of a consensus solution like carbon dividends to bridge partisan divides, protect our shared environment, and strengthen the economy. Where our political leaders have been unwilling, or unable, to forge agreement around common-sense solutions, we on college campuses are showing them how it’s done.”
Through this historic effort, many of the foremost leaders of our generation are not only calling for American action on climate change. They are also coalescing around a concrete solution that can actually pass and actually work.
While there are various things we’ll have to do in response to climate change, the carbon dividends strategy has emerged as a consensus, cornerstone solution. The carbon dividends plan enjoys sweeping, enthusiastic support from policy experts across the political spectrum. It would promote equity and opportunity and is widely considered a centerpiece of any effective response to climate change.
“Last year, I was honored to help organize the Economists’ Statement on Carbon Dividends, which became the largest public declaration in the history of the economics profession. Economists pointed the way, and now student leaders are championing the cause. It is advocacy efforts like this that will make concrete climate solutions possible.”
This student leader initiative, which was inspired by last year’s Economists’ Statement on Carbon Dividends, has drawn praise from prominent figures across the political spectrum, including N. Gregory Mankiw (Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers to President George W. Bush) and Janet Yellen (fmr. Chair of the Federal Reserve). It has also been the subject of op-eds and other student leader organizing and advocacy.
Our campaign has already made history, and we’re just getting started. Click below to learn more and plug-in to the S4CD movement!