How to maintain congressional momentum on climate

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s victory in Nevada means the Senate will remain in Democrats’ hands. However, it may be some time until the full picture of this midterm election comes into focus as votes are still being counted in races across the country. Regardless of the outcome, one thing is already clear: America has started down the road to addressing its carbon emissions. After years of inertia, the past year saw unprecedented action by Congress to take this challenge head-on. The current Congress and Biden administration have enacted the most significant package of legislation to combat climate change in U.S. history, so even with a split Congress, it will be difficult to reverse this progress.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law in August, includes $369 billion for initiatives that would, among other things, provide funding to incentivize clean energy manufacturing, deployment and innovation, as well as invest heavily in the electrification of the U.S. transportation system. The law also provides nearly $20 billion for conservation and climate-smart agricultural practices, including funding for coastal resilience, endangered species recovery and management as well as prevention of wildfires.

Taken together with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the CHIPS and Science Act, this set of new laws constitute a giant leap toward meeting our national climate goals. As a result, the U.S. came to this year’s crucial UN climate change conference COP27 with substantially renewed credibility and momentum. The achievements of the outgoing Congress’s get us most, if not all, of the way to fulfilling our national pledges under the 2015 Paris Agreement — and set us up to finish the job. 

Now, it’s up to leaders in government, business and civil society to seize this historic opportunity and build on our progress to deliver on the promise of a net-zero, climate resilient future. When President Biden spoke at COP27 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Egypt, it was clear the U.S. sees this as an opportunity to demonstrate that it can keep its promises and do its part to reduce global emissions.

The next step that the U.S. needs to take is to make good on its climate finance promises as well. The least developed and most vulnerable countries require significant assistance to expand energy access for their people in clean and renewable ways while also building resilience to the mounting impacts of climate change. A year ago, Biden pledged to increase annual U.S. climate finance to $11.4 billion by 2024, but Congress has yet to deliver the increases needed to meet that goal. Before the end of 2022, the current Congress needs to finalize and pass its fiscal 2023 funding bills with major increases for international climate programs. By doing so, congressional leaders can bring the U.S. much closer to fulfilling its finance pledge and solidify the legacy of the 117th Congress as the one that finally delivered on confronting the climate crisis.

Looking ahead to 2023, the U.S. still has more work to do on the federal level to ultimately halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Bipartisan opportunities exist, and the next Congress must seize them. Nature-based solutions, including U.S.-led efforts to halt deforestation, prevent illegal timber trade and promote long-term conservation tropical forests, including the Amazon, are promising areas for legislative progress. So is the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill and related legislation to protect America’s grasslands, which can provide significant opportunities and incentives for farmers, foresters and ranchers to engage in climate-smart and resilient agriculture, to the benefit of rural communities and the climate.  

Another cause for optimism is that, following passage of the IRA, the center of gravity for climate action has shifted significantly to America’s subnational actors. Transformative investments authorized by the IRA in a range of activities — from enhancing energy efficiency to electrifying our transportation systems and building out renewable energy infrastructure — must be implemented primarily by leaders in municipalities, states and Native nations, as well as businesses across the country. And consumers will need to take advantage of new tax incentives to reduce their individual carbon footprints in ways that add up to significant reductions at the whole-of-society level. 

Many subnational leaders, together with American consumers, have already demonstrated their support for meaningful climate action. All around the country you can see that state and local governments, academic, cultural and religious institutions, along with individuals are ready to do their part to reach our climate goals. I am particularly inspired by the members of the America Is All In coalition, a group of nearly 5,000 non-federal leaders from all corners of America and all walks of life, all of whom are committed to reaching our 1.5-degree Celsius goal to limit global warming (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).

Long after the climate conference in Egypt ends and everyone returns to their respective countries, the world will be looking to see if the U.S. has the staying power to deliver in the face of political change. Now is not the time to rest on our laurels. At the same time as we celebrate all that the 117th Congress was able to achieve, we also call on all levels of government and all sectors of society to take up the mantle of climate leadership and continue moving America forward — urgently and united —to build a safer, cleaner and more prosperous future.

Marcene Mitchell is senior vice president of climate change at World Wildlife Fund (WWF).