December 15, 2021
The U.S. looks to accelerate ⚡ EV adoption, Europe looks to renewables amid the energy crunch, and low-carbon investing is booming worldwide.
SUMMARY:
Advocates urge investment in EV charging for communities of color. The Biden administration aims to electrify the federal fleet, reduce federal building emissions, and accelerate installation of 500,000 EV charging stations. Nebraska becomes the first red state to commit to net-zero electricity by 2050. NYC is set to ban gas hookups in new buildings. 2021 marked a record year for climate-friendly investment. Clean energy deals are booming in Europe amid the ongoing energy crunch.
Communities of color are at risk of being left behind in the transition to electric cars. “Our proximity to the
negative effects of
fossil fuel production, to the interstate highway, puts us at risk,” said
Billy Davis, head of the
electric jitney startup JitneyEV. “When you have charging deserts, this is where the investment has to occur, because this is where the problem is most egregious — lung disease and asthma and so forth. There is such a thing as
environmental racism, so there has to be a reckoning.”