Dear John,
Apologies for another email, but today is a historic day for climate action in the U.S. After months of negotiations and mounting pressure from investors, companies, and the American people, the Biden administration just announced the Build Back Better budget framework, setting the stage for Congress to finalize what will be the largest-ever climate and clean energy legislation in U.S. history.
When signed into law, the Build Back Better framework will spark innovation and jobs in the U.S., directing the level of investments toward the equitable and competitive clean energy economy that businesses, investors, and communities across the U.S. demand. |
The more than $550 billion in climate investments included in the framework features robust tax credits for clean energy and transportation over the next decade.
It also includes other climate incentives and programs for industry, buildings, and agriculture, as well as new environmental justice and climate resiliency programs. The measures would be complemented by the climate, energy, and environmental justice investments in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act that is also awaiting Congressional approval.
This important announcement comes on the heels of mounting investor and corporate pressure on Congress and the Biden administration to put the U.S. on a path to zero emissions by 2050. Just this week, 160 investors and companies sent a letter to Congress calling for the “swift enactment” of the ambitious climate policies in the Build Back Better budget reconciliation package, as well as the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
And this is just the latest example from a year of significant climate and clean energy advocacy from investors and companies working with Ceres to make the business case for climate action. Since Biden was inaugurated in January:
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More than 400 companies pushed the administration to establish a 50% emissions reduction goal,
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More than 300 companies called on Congress to include bold climate policy in infrastructure negotiations as part of the Ceres 2021 LEAD on Climate advocacy day,
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More than 100 companies signaled support for a federal Clean Electricity Standard.
While today’s victory is a vital step forward for the U.S., the climate crisis is global and requires all governments to take swift and decisive action. As world leaders head to Glasgow for COP26, hundreds of investors and companies are calling on countries to take collective action to limit warming to 1.5℃ as outlined in the Paris Agreement.
Ceres will continue to press global, federal and state governments to pass legislation and strengthen regulations to reduce emissions, create good jobs, and truly tackle the climate crisis. |
Thank you,
 |
|
Anne L. Kelly
Vice President,
Government Relations
Ceres
@kellyBICEP | |
