Pritzker in Glasgow: Illinois "Open for Business for Climate Friendliness"
Governor JB Pritzker speaks at a news conference at the United Nations COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, Scotland Monday. (Source: Screenshot)
Calling climate change a “crisis that requires action now,” Governor JB Pritzker used an opportunity to speak on the world stage Monday to build up the states budding green economy.
Pritzker held a news conference at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland with Democratic governors from Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington state to discuss climate change and state-led policies to address climate and energy issues.
“Our new climate plan is the most significant step Illinois has taken in a generation toward a reliable, renewable, affordable clean energy future,” Pritzker said. “Everything that can be done must be done. We’re not through just because we made a climate plan that we’re very proud of and are attracting electric vehicle manufacturers and changing our economy to become more of a green economy. We know there is more to do and we will be hard at work at that.”
Pritzker said an energy bill passed this summer and an electric vehicle battery production incentive passed last month make Illinois a leader in promoting green energy.
“[We are] making it clear that we are open for business in the state of Illinois for climate friendliness,” Pritzker said. While his staff hasn’t released any details on previous meetings in London and Glasgow during his weeklong trip, Pritzker was assumed to be making pitches for international businesses to expand in Illinois.
“We have to enact policies that incentivize green technologies, train workers for the new jobs in the new fields that we’re creating, and support the transition away from fossil fuels,” he said.
Pritzker said Illinois is striving to become the best state in the nation to own an electric vehicle, pointing out new legislation giving up to $4,000 in rebates for some EV purchases.
“We’re fostering an energy sector that looks like the population that it serves with investments in workforce hubs, a path to prosperity for minority contractors and Illinoisans living in environmental justice communities,” he said.
While he didn’t lay out specifics, Pritzker hinted there may be further climate based legislation to move forward during his current term as governor.