Gillibrand releases $10 trillion climate change plan

Presidential hopeful Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) on Thursday released a $10 trillion climate change plan. 

The wide-ranging “Climate Change Moonshot Plan” plan aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, “hold polluters accountable” and phase out fossil fuels, among other goals. 

Gillibrand said in a Medium post that she intended to mobilize $10 trillion in public and private funds over the next decade to achieve her goals. 

{mosads} The New York senator called for an excise tax on fossil fuel production, hoping to generate $100 billion a year to combat climate change. She also said she would put a $52 per metric ton price on carbon to deter companies from using fossil fuels and spur investment in renewable energy. 

She said her carbon tax would bring in more than $200 billion a year, helping to fund her climate initiative. 

Gillibrand’s plan also called for the creation of green jobs and better infrastructure for rural communities. 

The senator also said she would rejoin the Obama-era Paris climate agreement on her first day in office if elected president. 

In the post, she likened tackling climate change to the space race, saying that “to save our planet, the energy, talents, and commitment of every American will be required.”

“Climate change is the most serious threat to humanity today, and we need immediate and bold action to address it before it’s too late,” she said in the post. 

Gillibrand is among more than two dozen people running for president in 2020. Her campaign has struggled to gain traction in the polls, with a RealClearPolitics average of polls showing her with less than 1 percentage point of the vote.

She is one of 20 hopefuls slated to appear at the second Democratic debates later this month.