BlueGreen Alliance Marks 20th Anniversary at Climate Week

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders and advocates gathered in New York for Climate Week heard the unique story of the BlueGreen Alliance (BGA) during a panel discussion on worker-powered climate action. BGA—celebrating the 20^th anniversary of its founding—was joined by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), United Steelworkers (USW) International President Roxanne Brown, and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Action Fund President Manish Bapna.

The panel discussion explored the lessons that can be learned from BGA's 20 years of proven success as the only national coalition of environmental and labor organizations in the world. The organization—founded in 2006 by former USW International President Leo Gerard and former Executive Director of the Sierra Club Carl Pope—is aligned on the shared belief that we don't have to choose between good jobs and a clean environment. We can and must have both.

"I have worked with BGA since its infancy, and I remain committed to the mission of this organization," said USW International President and BGA Co-Chair Roxanne Brown. "Working with our environmental partners to deepen understanding across our movements gives us the footing we need to enact real change that will build a better future for working families for generations to come."

The panelists discussed BGA's continued work to leverage the collective strength of its partners and their members to build consensus and advocate for shared solutions that fight the climate crisis, create good-paying union jobs, advance racial and economic justice, and protect the health and fundamental rights of working people.

"As a coalition, BGA has struck significant wins for the environmental and labor movements, but much of that progress has been under attack in recent years. That is why the enduring strength of our coalition is so important," said NRDC Action Fund President and BGA Board Member Manish Bapna. "We remain dedicated to working in partnership to build on our successes and grow a clean economy built with good union jobs."

"Economic change in recent decades has been driven by elites and working people have not seen the benefits. Unless working people are at the center of climate policy and energy transition, the solutions won't work for them, and they won't stick." said BlueGreen Alliance Executive Director Jason Walsh. "In the face of an escalating climate crisis and rising inequality, our work is more urgent than ever. These crises can only be confronted by worker-powered climate action, and that is the work BGA plans to carry forward over the next 20 years."

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SOURCE BlueGreen Alliance