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STATEMENT: President-Elect Biden Selects Key Staff Who Will Put Climate Change at Center of U.S. Foreign Policy

President-elect Joe Biden has unveiled key members of his foreign policy and national security team. The nominees include Antony Blinken for Secretary of State; Alejandro Mayorkas for Secretary of Homeland Security; Avril Haines for Director of National Intelligence; Linda Thomas-Greenfield for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; Jake Sullivan for National Security Advisor; and John Kerry for Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. Following is a statement from Andrew Steer, President & CEO, World Resources Institute.

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3 Ways President Biden and Congress Can Restore US Forests

by Alex Rudee - November 23, 2020

Research from WRI reveals the most impactful steps that President-elect Biden and the new Congress can take to harness the carbon-removing power of trees and forests in the United States. Taking these steps can turn bipartisan rhetoric supporting tree restoration into tangible action.

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How Biden Can Make the US a Global Leader on Climate Action

by David Waskow, Yamide Dagnet, Joe Thwaites and Taryn Fransen - November 12, 2020

With concerted focus, the Biden administration can re-establish the United States as a climate leader and help propel the global fight against climate change.

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Climate Mayors National Dialogue on a Green and Equitable Recovery

November 17, 2020

U.S. mayors and climate experts will discuss climate action during COVID-19 and in the wake of the 2020 Presidential Election.

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STATEMENT: Biden Victory Sets Stage for New Day on Climate, Equity, and the Economy

According to multiple media sources, Joseph R. Biden and Kamala Harris have been confirmed as the winners of the 2020 U.S. election. They received the most votes by a president ticket in U.S. history and were able to win several states that Donald Trump had won in 2016. The U.S. House of Representatives stayed majority Democrat. The outcome for the composition of the U.S. Senate is very close and currently undetermined.

Following is a statement from Dr. Andrew Steer, President & CEO, World Resources Institute.

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Top 10 Priorities for President Biden to Tackle the Climate Crisis

November 07, 2020

The Biden administration must prioritize an expansive climate action plan from day one. These 10 high-impact actions will make the biggest difference.

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STATEMENT: US Withdraws from the Paris Agreement

Today the U.S. officially became the only country to abandon the Paris Agreement on climate change. The withdrawal comes a day after the U.S. election, the results of which are still unclear. If a U.S. administration sends a request to the United Nations to re-enter the accord, the country would again be party to the Paris Agreement after a period of 30 days. Following is a statement from Helen Mountford, Vice President, Climate & Economics, World Resources Institute.

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Support for Climate Policy is Alive and Well in Corporate America

by Andrew Steer and Jamie Gentoso - October 21, 2020

Even in the face of COVID-19, we cannot lose sight of another urgent and looming challenge: climate change. That’s why leading businesses are in support of enacting policies in the short term in order to lay a foundation for bolder action in the long term.

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Despite Shared Membership, US Chamber of Commerce and Business Roundtable at Odds Over Climate Policy

by Amy Meyer, Kevin Moss and Eliot Metzger - October 19, 2020

Two major trade associations, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Business Roundtable, have opposite stances on climate action. And yet dozens of CEOs are members of both organizations.

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How Wind Turbines Are Providing a Safety Net for Rural Farmers

by Molly Bergen - October 13, 2020

Mike Zakrzewski, a farmer in O'Neill, Nebraska, hosts wind turbines on his land. His story highlights one of the many ways that farmers across the United States can benefit from clean electricity.

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Meeting the Climate Challenge Through a New Climate Federalism

by Nicholas Bianco, Franz Litz, Devashree Saha, Tyler Clevenger and Dan Lashof - October 06, 2020

The task of decarbonizing the U.S. economy is too big for any one level of government to tackle alone. The “new climate federalism” model proposes a framework for the federal, state and local governments to work together to address climate change.

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New Climate Federalism: Defining Federal, State, and Local Roles in a U.S. Policy Framework to Achieve Decarbonization

by Nicholas Bianco, Franz Litz, Devashree Saha, Tyler Clevenger and Dan Lashof - October 2020

Recognizing that addressing climate change in the U.S. will require action at all levels of government, WRI convened thought leaders among current and former U.S. federal, state, and local government officials in a dialogue to explore these topics. This paper sets out the context and findings of the dialogue discussions, and proposes a working federalism framework to delineate roles within a future federal climate policy.

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New Climate Federalism: Meeting the Climate Change Challenge at the Federal, State, and Local Levels

October 06, 2020

Join us for a dynamic discussion with state and local leaders about the optimal roles for each level of government in addressing climate change. The webinar will include the presentation of a new WRI report, New Climate Federalism: Defining Federal, State, and Local Roles in a U.S. Policy Framework to Achieve Decarbonization.

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California Shows How the U.S. Can Reduce Transport Emissions

by Dan Lashof and Devashree Saha - September 24, 2020

California's decision to require that all new passenger cars and trucks sold in the state to be emissions free by 2035 takes the fight against climate change to the next level.

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I've Worked on Climate Policy for 30 Years. Western US Fires Are the Scariest Thing I’ve Seen.

by Dan Lashof - September 21, 2020

Dan Lashof, Director of WRI United States, reflects on the wildfires in the Western United States — and why now is the time for national action on climate change.

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6 Graphics Explain the Climate Feedback Loop Fueling US Fires

by Nancy Harris, Thailynn Munroe and Kelly Levin - September 16, 2020

Increased global emissions lead to higher temperatures and more fire-prone conditions. With more fires comes more emissions, fueling rapid climate change.

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Building a 100 Percent Clean Economy: Opportunities for an Equitable, Low-Carbon Recovery

by Devashree Saha - September 2020

Devashree Saha testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change on opportunities for the United States to achieve an equitable, low-carbon economy.

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Local Climate Action in US Proves Resilient to COVID-19

by John Feldmann, Tom Cyrs and Devashree Saha - September 14, 2020

Through sector-by-sector evaluation of key trends and drivers, a new report from America's Pledge finds that, despite the unprecedented public health and economic crisis, bottom-up climate action is proving resilient.

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How the Chamber of Commerce's Scorecard Elevates Climate Deniers

by Amy Meyer, Jillian Neuberger and Menghun Kaing - August 24, 2020

As the most powerful trade organization on Earth, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce prides itself on its many members. But does it truly represent their interests? When it comes to climate change and congressional campaigns, the answer is an indisputable no.

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COVID-19 Bailouts Should Target Oil and Gas Workers and Communities, Not Companies

by Devashree Saha - August 05, 2020

COVID-19 has hit the U.S. oil and gas industry hard. Rather than bailing out corporations, the government should prioritize workers and communities.

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