Washington, D.C. — Today, the Center for American Progress, Evergreen Collaborative, and C40 Cities released a new issue brief on how states and cities can benefit from climate investments in the Inflation Reduction Act. These benefits include lower energy bills, a strong labor economy, climate-resilient lands, cleaner air, and healthier communities.
The report details how state and local lawmakers can best leverage these funds to invest in clean energy. This includes planning and regulating clean energy projects, encouraging installation of renewable energy in homes, disbursing grant funds, and implementing policies that support clean domestic manufacturing. In turn, this will create high-quality jobs, invest in climate-resilient agriculture, and reinvent transportation through electric vehicles. These investments will also support low-income communities that are most affected by air pollution.
“By taking full advantage of the provisions within this monumental legislation, states and cities will be able to raise the ambition of their own climate commitments and policies while providing transformative benefits for their constituents,” said Chris Chyung, senior campaign manager for the State House to the White House Initiative at CAP and co-author of the report.
“State and local governments are often the first line of defense in the fight against the climate crisis. With the climate and clean energy investments in the Inflation Reduction Act, they’ll have the tools they need to turn the tide,” said Evergreen Collaborative State Policy Director Justin Balik. “The influx of billions of federal dollars presents an unprecedented chance for state and local officials to raise the bar for equitable climate action and deliver cost savings, pollution reductions, and good-paying jobs in their communities. The governors, mayors, state legislators, and other officials who take full advantage of these resources will help their communities secure a competitive edge in the clean energy economy of the future—it’s an opportunity they cannot afford to miss.”
Read the report: “How States and Cities Can Benefit From Climate Investments in the Inflation Reduction Act” by Chris Chyung, Sam Ricketts, Kristen Jurich, Elisia Hoffman, Frances Sawyer, Justin Balik, and Kate Johnson
For more information or to speak to an expert, contact Julia Cusick at [email protected].