Dear John,
More than a decade ago, some 30 major companies issued a declaration both simple and groundbreaking: “Tackling Climate Change is one of America’s Greatest Economic Opportunities of the 21st Century (and it’s simply the right thing to do).”
Organized by Ceres, the statement was signed by household names like eBay and Nike, yet it was at the time a novel and lonely position. Few companies had yet embraced the significant business and economic opportunity that a major federal investment in climate policy could deliver.
But it was the start of a wave of business momentum for U.S. climate policy, which crested over the last decade and powerfully came ashore last summer with the passage of the nation’s largest-ever climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
By the time it passed, Ceres had marshaled thousands of companies—including nearly a third of the S&P 100—to advocate for its foundational climate investments, because they knew it was just smart business.
After one year, that law has already proven those companies right.
Anchored by an ambitious suite of incentives to build and deploy climate solutions in the U.S., the IRA has unlocked huge sums of private capital and underpinned a stunning revitalization of American manufacturing. Since last August, companies have announced more than $270 billion in planned clean energy projects that are expected to deliver more than 170,000 new jobs.
From northern Georgia, where global solar industry giant Qcells is building a $2.5 billion plant, to Michigan, where Ford Motor Company is investing $3.5 billion for electric vehicle technology, to West Virginia, where battery upstart Form Energy is building a $750 million factory, vital clean energy manufacturing is being welcomed with open arms.
As always, the quest for economic growth and good jobs remains a tremendous unifying force in America. And tackling climate change by building out the clean energy economy has indeed proven to be one of America’s greatest economic opportunities of the 21st century.
And there’s so much more still to come.
This week, Ceres and our partners are celebrating the IRA’s one-year anniversary with our CEO and President, Mindy Lubber, attending a celebration at the White House yesterday (image at right). We will continue the work ahead to ensure companies, investors, and policymakers take full advantage of this historic investment in the U.S. economy and the future of our planet. |
Thank you for your leadership and your support,
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Anne L. Kelly
Vice President,
Government Relations
Ceres
@kellyBICEP | |
