Since the onset of the COVID crisis, economic stimulus has been re-framed as roadmaps to ‘green recovery’ or ‘building back better’. The question is whether these ideas are useful for India, especially when it is facing a longer road out of the pandemic than previously thought. Evidence supports that they are relevant, for three reasons.
Read MoreIn celebration of the 51st Earth Day, Amy Myers Jaffe discusses the US’ history with nature and its impact on the Biden Administration’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan.
Read MoreWhen leaders of the G20 met this weekend, they appeared to focus heavily on the major challenge to the global economy: a second wave of the global pandemic and the possibility of breakthrough vaccine. But always in the wings of any global economic discussion is the longer-term challenge of tackling the climate crisis. As G-20 countries consider additional economic stimulus to tackle both crises, our research shows that energy efficiency of buildings (BEE) is a comprehensive solution that can both create new, green jobs while providing a major step towards decarbonizing economies. Both the United States and China have targeted BEE in past stimulus spending. With the G-20 countries pledging to enhance their commitments under the Paris Agreement, including BEE would offer countries multiple benefits.
Read MoreThe website “Restoring American Leadership” which chronicles the transition plans of U.S. President Elect Joe Biden includes a vision specifically on climate change. It calls on the United States to go further than just rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement to build “a more resilient, sustainable economy – one that will put the United States on an irreversible path to achieve net-zero emission, economy-wide, by no later than 2050.” The plan references multiple ways to accomplish net zero goals including promoting climate smart agriculture, building greener and more resilient public transportation infrastructure, and decarbonizing the power sector as well as creating additional union jobs via a major program upgrading existing buildings.
The transition planning, as described, misses the opportunity to put U.S. actions into a global perspective. We offer some suggestions for the new administration, based on the Climate Policy Lab’s research, on how to marry national domestic climate policy with international challenges and opportunities.
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