Shift Key with Robinson Meyer and Jesse Jenkins cover image

Shift Key with Robinson Meyer and Jesse Jenkins

How Democrats Are Trying to Trump-proof Their Big Climate Law

Dec 4, 2024
In this discussion, Kristina Costa, Deputy Assistant to the President for Clean Energy Innovation, outlines pivotal aspects of the Inflation Reduction Act. She highlights its unprecedented scale and urgency amidst potential political shifts. Costa delves into the importance of state capacities in advancing these climate goals and the need for innovative federal tools to compete with global leaders like China. Additionally, she shares strategies to safeguard these climate initiatives from future threats, emphasizing collaborative efforts in the private sector.
01:03:40

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The Inflation Reduction Act represents a historic investment in clean energy, significantly accelerating U.S. emissions reduction towards net-zero goals by 2050.
  • Despite substantial funding and local successes, the IRA faces vulnerability to political shifts, particularly with potential changes under a Trump administration.

Deep dives

Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has led to significant advancements in U.S. climate policy, achieving unprecedented momentum in decarbonization efforts. The legislation effectively doubled or tripled the pace of emissions reduction that would have likely occurred without its implementation. The achievement is projected to bring the country closer to the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, though substantial work remains. As it stands, these policies are viewed as critically vulnerable to potential policy reversals under a future Trump administration.

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