Washington, D.C. — Today, the Biden administration released a governmentwide strategy to better understand, manage, and mitigate the risks that climate change poses to the American economy, its workers, and families. This road map of agency actions follows a May 2021 executive order directing agencies to measure, disclose, and mitigate climate-related risks to the financial system and shows that the Biden administration is making good on its climate and economic commitments. In response, Center for American Progress President and CEO Patrick Gaspard released the following statement:
With all eyes on the United States and its climate commitments ahead of the U.N. climate summit in two short weeks, today’s announcement shows that the Biden administration recognizes climate change to be a systemic risk to America’s economy and is ready to lead by example. There have already been 18 separate climate disasters, costing $1 billion or more in damages, across the country this year alone. The suite of agency actions announced today to assess, incorporate, plan for, and mitigate these kinds of increasingly devastating risks that climate change poses to our economy and its workers is as historic as it is critically necessary. From updating federal procurement standards to ensure that the approximately $650 billion in federal contracts rewards suppliers on the cutting edge of the transition to clean energy, to protecting workers’ hard-earned life savings from climate vulnerability, the Biden administration is ensuring that no tool is left on the table. Today’s decisive strategy sets a strong foundation for continued leadership by the United States heading into the climate conference in Glasgow, and I am eager to see congressional action that meets the same level of ambition.
For more information or to speak with an expert, contact Julia Cusick at [email protected].