The name Green New Deal (GND) refers to the New Deal, a series of social and economic reforms, and public works, undertaken by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a means of recovering from the Great Depression.
GND proposals advocate for a modern interpretation of this approach, specifically for climate change to be addressed alongside the achievement of social goals such as job creation and the reduction of economic inequality.
Howie Hawkins was the first U.S. politician to run on a GND platform, in 2010. In 2019 Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey prominently tried to get legislation for a GND passed during the 116th United States Congress, although it was unsuccessful. In 2021, many countries such as the United States, China, India and those in the EU are working towards more sustainable practices that could be seen as part of a Green New Deal.
GND’s are not exclusive to the United States – GNDs have been supported in the European Union as well in 2019 and 2020.