Press Release
February 28, 2023
Contact: Alec Gerlach, GerlachA@c2es.org
Company Contributions Form C2ES Policy Agenda for Biden, Congress
Building on IRA Win on Path to Reach 2030 Target
WASHINGTON—The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) today released a new set of policy priorities for the administration and Congress that, when taken together, will build on the momentum of the past two years, serve U.S. climate and economic objectives, and support the leadership of American businesses in the low-carbon economy. The policy brief, Reaching for 2030: Climate and Clean Energy Policy Priorities, was informed by a series of workshops since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) engaging dozens of leading U.S. companies on remaining legislative and regulatory priorities.
“To cut climate pollution by more than half by end of this decade and be on track to reach net-zero carbon emissions by mid-century, we cannot rest on our laurels. The historic investments of the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law (BIL) represent crucial progress—but they are just a start. The urgency of the climate crisis, and the enormous opportunity presented by the low-carbon transition, demand that we resist the Washington temptation to ‘check the box on climate’ and move on,” said C2ES President Nat Keohane.
“The comprehensive policy agenda C2ES is publishing today, developed in collaboration with leading companies from across the economy, is designed to build on the momentum of the past two years. It encompasses administrative actions as well as proposed legislation; immediate steps to support the rapid implementation of BIL and IRA, as well as new policies; and measures that could be passed in the current Congress, as well as some that may take more time to build support for, but that would lead to significant climate and economic benefits. We have made great strides, but we cannot let up now.”
While the passage of the IRA marked an historic moment of progress for the climate—particularly when coupled with the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA) and CHIPS and Science Act—the investments are projected only to achieve 32–42 percent in emissions reductions toward the 50–52 percent 2030 goal for the United States. The need to do more if we are to meet our mid- and long-term climate goals remains urgent.
Reaching for 2030 identifies the next two years as a crucial timeframe in meeting these targets. IRA, IIJA, and the CHIPS Act make meaningful investments, but effective implementation will be a high priority and will not be enough without further action. The private sector can move further and faster with targeted policy support, and these policy priorities are intended to accelerate that transition.
“As the impacts of climate change intensify, we still have a lot of work to do–and urgently. The global transition to a net-zero economy will only accelerate, and the race to build a net-zero economy is going to intensify,” said C2ES Vice President for Policy and Outreach Brad Townsend. “American businesses are eager to lead the way, and with further support can reach even deeper emissions reductions. The agenda we’re releasing today can help leverage private capital to not only commercialize new technologies but ensure that the U.S. economy is best positioned to capitalize on the net-zero transition.”The 46 policies included in the agenda fall within four major categories:
- Investment: Policies to drive private sector investment in clean-energy and low-carbon technologies, as well as approaches to minimize investment risk.
- Competitiveness: Policies to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. industries, particularly manufacturing, by growing domestic markets and supply chains, innovating new and exportable low-carbon technologies, and building on the U.S. carbon advantage.
- Community: Policies to empower local communities not only to prepare for the impacts of a changing climate, but to also build the necessary capacity to capitalize on emerging economic development opportunities in the low-carbon transition.
- Whole of economy: Policies to further reduce emission across the entire economy.
Read the whole brief here: Reaching for 2030: Climate and Clean Energy Policy Priorities.