The 41 Things Biden Should Do First on Climate Change

Joseph E. Aldy, Professor of the Practice of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School

Adopt a carbon price benchmark.

“President-elect Biden can adopt a carbon price benchmark to guide U.S. policy. Similar to the ‘internal carbon prices’ used by Microsoft, GM, and BP, a carbon price benchmark would operationalize a whole-of-government response and lay the foundation for a whole-of-economy effort in combatting climate change.”

“A carbon price benchmark—initially $50 per ton—would reflect the benefits of reducing the pollution causing climate change [and] guide agencies in setting emission goals, akin to their 2009 and 2015 efforts. This would reorient budget planning and redirect the management of vehicle fleets, buildings, and other assets to account for climate change. The White House could support legislation—clean energy subsidies in a stimulus package, a national clean energy standard, or a carbon tax—so long as the carbon benchmark justifies the cost of doing so. This would ensure that climate change policies make sound investments on behalf of the American taxpayer.” —As told to Akshat Rathi

Vicki Arroyo, Executive Director, Georgetown Climate Center

Put climate experts everywhere.

“Making climate change a top priority in the White House and Cabinet from day one begins during his transition—with people. Biden should appoint senior officials with climate expertise, including naming a respected Assistant to the President for Climate and creating a National Climate Council. To foster a ‘whole of government’ approach, climate policies should be coordinated through an inter-agency, Cabinet-level task force, with climate councils in all key agencies to identify and work toward aggressive goals.”

“With extraordinary climate leadership at the top, the substantive policy work of his administration will flow that much easier: Rejoining the Paris Agreement and committing to even stronger U.S. international leadership; cleaning up the power sector by 2035, in-line with his campaign promise; bringing the economy to net-zero emissions by midcentury; using the Clean Air Act to regulate climate pollutants across the economy, including reversing Trump regulatory rollbacks. With the Senate under Republican control, legislative opportunities will be limited but could include Clean Energy Standards. Continued Covid-19-related stimulus discussions will also provide opportunities to support investments in clean energy infrastructure and resilience.” —As told to Eric Roston

Mirza Baig, Global Head of Governance & Stewardship, Aviva Investors

Remove subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuels.

“We would urge the Biden camp to remove all artificial support for fossil fuels and redirect federal funding to support investments in renewables. This will accelerate the shift in capital expenditures directed towards lower carbon energy assets, enable the scaling up of investments in renewable technologies, stimulate domestic jobs growth, and help re-establish U.S. international leadership in tackling the climate challenge.” —As told to Saijel Kishan

Kathy Baughman McLeod, Director, Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center

Address the impacts of climate-fueled extreme heat.

“In the past few months alone, extreme heat records were shattered in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah and temperatures in Death Valley, CA topped 130° F. Conditions are expected to worsen, with temperatures of more than 127° F predicted in 47 states over the next 60 years. More people die of extreme heat than any other weather-related event in the U.S. It exacerbates underlying health conditions that disproportionately impacts low income communities and people of color, as we’ve seen with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Finally, extreme heat exacts a devastating economic toll as well. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that heat may cost the U.S. $170 billion in lost wages by the end of the century, a figure that does not adequately quantify the broader losses attributable to extreme heat, such as decreased worker productivity, crop failures, business interruption, infrastructure failures, cancelled flights and more.”

“Yet, because it does not cause physical damage that can be seen, photographed and broadcast like wildfires, hurricanes and floods, extreme heat remains an invisible killer. The first action President-elect Biden can take is to name and rank heatwaves in the same way that has been done with tropical storms and hurricanes since the 1950s to 1) create the culture of awareness and preparedness around the unrecognized perils of extreme heat, 2) mobilize short-term response and long-term heat-reduction actions to save lives and protect economies and supply chains, and 3) prioritize climate adaptation and resilience alongside mitigation to contend with the consequences of legacy carbon emissions and climate policy.” —As told to Akshat Rathi

Randolph Bell, Director for Global Energy Security, Atlantic Council

Take care of fugitive methane emissions.

“Failing to fully address methane leakage is increasingly a risk for the climate and for the U.S. economy. Methane makes up at least 10 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions—recent analysis suggests far more—and is at least 25% more potent at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. With natural gas projected to play an important role in the global energy system even under aggressive decarbonization scenarios by providing low-carbon power in the developing world and feedstock for hydrogen production (with carbon capture and storage), addressing methane is crucial for meeting climate goals.”

“The U.S.’s methane problem has the attention of major oil & gas producers, who decried the Trump Administration’s August reversal of an Obama-era rule on methane. Engie’s decision last month, under pressure from the French government, to delay its $7 billion deal with U.S. LNG company NextDecade because of U.S. methane emissions underscores the risks to the U.S. economy.”

“President-elect Biden can immediately direct the EPA to initiate a new rulemaking process to ensure that industry monitors and addresses leaks in new equipment, as Obama’s rule did. Biden can also be more ambitious and address leaks in older equipment, an effort that was not completed under Obama.” —As told to Akshat Rathi

John Berger, CEO, Sunnova Energy International Inc.

Extend tax credits for wind and solar energy.

“You can have a carbon-free transition plan and have a huge economic plan, both of which the country needs. We can have a carbon-neutral country with higher economic growth. So there is no trade off.”

“I would extend solar’s investment tax credit and wind’s production tax credit immediately. Our industry can create lots of jobs—we can't hire people fast enough. If solar had another five years of the federal investment credit at 30% and with a rejoining of the Paris climate accord, that certainly of policy would help us hire more people than we’re doing.” —As told to Brian Eckhouse

Mark Carney, Co-Chair G30 Working Group on Climate Change and Finance, and UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance

Force companies to disclose their climate risk.

“The G30 calls on governments to set out clear timelines for making the disclosure standards set by the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) mandatory by 2023. Taking this step, making disclosure mandatory, will accelerate disclosure by climate laggards, further embed TCFD as a common international standard, and bring forward our collective net-zero goals.”

“Better comparable and consistent disclosure will allow investors to assess which firms are leading the transition and which are polluting our planet. Investors can then reward the leaders and punish the polluters.”

“We recommend that all asset managers and creditors should demand TCFD disclosure from the companies they invest in and lend to. Stock markets should support this net zero transition by developing common guidance on climate disclosure consistent with the TCFD. Finally, we call on international standard-setters should help turn TCFD best practices into global standards so that the financial system can accelerate and amplify the pathway to net zero by 2050.” —As told to Jess Shankleman

Michael R. Bloomberg, the founder and majority shareholder of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News, is the chair of TCFD.

Sean Casten, U.S. Representative, Sixth District of Illinois

End fossil fuel subsidies.

“If we could only prioritize one climate policy in Biden’s first 100 days, we should eliminate fossil fuel subsidies. These long-standing subsidies have massively distorted capital allocation in the U.S. energy sector. They make a mockery of the free market principles on which our economy is built, and serve only to protect mature incumbents from the entrepreneurial energy of more innovative start-ups. While there are certainly some offsetting clean energy subsidies, they are an order of magnitude smaller.”

“Consider just a few examples: As wind developers negotiate market-based lease rates with private landowners, oil and gas companies are given subsidized leases on federal land. While the biofuel sector has to set prices at a level that recovers all costs from the farm to the pump, the protection of global oil markets and shipping lanes is paid for out of defense budgets. While nuclear plants must earn enough revenue to pay for the cost of waste storage disposal, coal plants are subsidized by Medicaid which picks up the tab for downwind pollution-induced asthma and premature fatalities. The net effect is to make it harder for inherently cleaner and cheaper technologies to compete against intrinsically dirtier and more expensive ones.”

“Removing these market-barriers will unlock massive private sector innovation, will slash CO2 emissions, and cut energy costs. And as we accelerate the deployment of those technologies, they will come down the learning curve, generating ever-increasing economies of production scale.”

“We know where we need to go. We know how to get there. All we have to do is take off the emergency brake.” —As told to Eric Roston

Mike Davis, CEO, Global Witness

Stop subsidizing the exploitation of natural resources.

“American taxpayers are currently forced to underpin the extraction of natural resources around the world. Biden must end taxpayer-funded fossil fuel subsidies, which reach around $20 billion a year, and stop supporting a false hope that communities dependent on fossil fuels can keep living that way.”

“It’s crazy that American tax dollars are funding an unsustainable system that’s also destroying our planet, polluting our air, and hurting communities of color the most. No one can stake their future on a dirty energy system if we’re going to hit the Paris Agreement targets.” —As told to Todd Gillespie

Ottmar Edenhofer, Director and Chief Economist, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

Put a price on CO₂.

“Building a national CO₂ pricing scheme—be it a market-based emissions allowance trading scheme across all sectors or a tax—is the most efficient climate stabilization policy. If the new administration would do this, they would sustainably protect U.S. citizens from increasing extreme weather events, increasing wildfires, increasing sea levels.”

“California, which is the fifth biggest economy of the world, and states such as Massachusetts have already some experience with CO₂ pricing. The same goes for Europe and China. Also Canada and Japan—basically the greatest partners and competitors of the U.S. The new administration can look at what they did and do better. A U.S. CO₂ pricing system should work across sectors, from energy production to industry and transport and housing and agriculture. And it should include a minimum price to provide a reliable framework so businesses have certainty for planning. Importantly, such a pricing scheme can generate substantial income—money that, to some extent, can be used to compensate low-income families by sending Christmas checks or lowering energy taxes. And to some extent this money could be used for much-needed investments into U.S. infrastructure.” —As told to Eric Roston

Christiana Figueres, Founding Partner, Global Optimism & Former Executive Secretary, UNFCCC

Follow through on his promises.

“Joe Biden recognizes that now is the time to ‘imagine and build a new American economy.’ If he truly intends to recover from the pandemic by making the U.S. more resilient to future public health, economic, and environmental crises, he will start by enacting his plan for a clean energy revolution. This plan sets out a vision for a healthier, cleaner, fairer, more resilient and regenerative future, and plots a route for getting there. It recognizes that our health, the economy and the environment are inextricably linked, and that climate change is an existential threat that is worsening every day—as we see in the form of wildfires, supercharged storms, unbearable heat and smog.”

“Crucially, it also aspires to undo entrenched inequities by taking care of the workers and communities that have powered and relied on the Industrial Revolution and stop polluters from profiting from environmental damage. Electric vehicles are already gaining traction in the U.S. thanks to states such as California. Biden can build on this leadership by setting stricter clean air rules that encourage the market into an even faster transformation that will save lives.” —As told to Akshat Rathi

Catherine Flowers, Founder, Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice

Give people from rural communities a voice in the process.

“Often times people who are impacted by pollution are not at the table. So first thing, it is important to have a White House summit and convene leaders from these communities to come and be a part of instructing the new administration on how to move forward. They need to be part of drafting whatever plan there is going to be. There is a lot that rural folks see that people in the cities just take for granted.”

“I also think that we are going to look at corporate polluters. A lot of these corporations are polluting our communities and have been doing this with immunity, and that needs to stop. Even if we were to build houses in these communities with solar panels on the roofs, if you still have this polluting plant next door, nothing is going to get solved. So Biden is going to have to be prudent about dealing with that right away.” —As told to Leslie Kaufman

Kate Gordon, Executive Committee, Clean Energy for Biden

Make Commerce climate-conscious.

“Here’s something President-elect Biden can do immediately, even before taking office: prioritize climate change across all cabinet appointments. There is no agency that’s exempt from helping our country reduce the real financial, environmental, and natural security risks that come with climate-related events like floods, fires, and extreme heat—or from capturing the huge economic opportunities that come with climate leadership.”

“One agency in particular can help with the truly knotty problem of how to transition our huge, complex, petroleum-based economy to carbon neutrality, and it’s… the Department of Commerce. Hear me out: Economic transition is essentially economic development—with, in this case, a healthy dose of climate science to help guide smart decisionmaking. For that, Commerce has all the right tools at its disposal—the Bureau of Economic Analysis, to track economic trends at the regional and local level; [the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] to catalogue climate data and its immediate and future impacts; the Economic Development Administration to support communities and industries as they come up with their own approaches to building more diversified and stronger regional economies."

“It may sound small or bureaucratic, but directing all U.S. agencies to step up on climate would show not just strong leadership on climate, but good management as well. And God knows, we need some of that.” —As told to Eric Roston

Michael Greenstone, The Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor in Economics, University of Chicago

Bring back the social cost of carbon.

“The social cost of carbon—the monetary value of the damages due to the release of an additional ton of carbon dioxide (CO₂)—is the most important number you’ve never heard of. Simply put, it calculates the costs of climate change, and therefore the benefits of climate rules that restrict CO₂ emissions, making it central to cost-benefit analyses required for any climate regulations.”

“In 2009 and 2010, when I was the chief economist at the Council of Economic Advisors, I co-led with Cass Sunstein an interagency working group that developed the first U.S. government-wide social cost of carbon. President Trump reversed this progress, disbanding the interagency working group of climate scientists, economists, lawyers, and other experts. Mandated by the courts to have a social cost of carbon in place, his Environmental Protection Agency set it at between $1 and $7 per ton—far lower than the prior estimate of $50 and far removed from the frontier of scientific and economic understanding.”

“A first order of business for the Biden administration should be to charge an inter-agency group with developing a new social cost of carbon that is based on frontier climate economics and science. The administration should also set an interim figure that makes improvements on the Obama Administration estimate by using a discount rate—a translation of future climate damages into their present value—no higher than 2% to reflect the profound changes in global capital markets over the last 15 years. These actions will pave the way for more ambitious regulations that appropriately protect all Americans, especially the most vulnerable, from climate change.” —As told to Eric Roston

Rhiana Gunn-Wright, Director of Climate Policy, Roosevelt Institute

Apply Green New Deal principles to everything that moves.

“Policies succeed not because of their details, but because of the future they offer and the stories they tell. People fight for the stories that deliver them the most promising vision.”

“The Green New Deal was conceived in this spirit and represents a comprehensive portfolio for creating a zero-carbon nation predicated on justice and equality. At its heart is a ten-year economic mobilization to transform energy and industrial systems, and with it the livelihoods of communities and workers.”

“We need to start now and apply these principles to everything that moves. Too often Washington considers climate change only in its own silo—not as the pervasive, monumental engine of trauma that it is. We tend to think about it in long time-scales. But when you’re in a recession and more stimulus is needed and Covid-19 numbers are off the charts, people are looking for immediate economic relief and jobs, neither of which fit the decadal time scales typical of climate action. We have run out of decades to face climate change.”

“There are a number of existing fiscal policies that can address climate injustice and move money quickly to families, businesses, communities, and states that my colleagues and I recently outlined. There is no such thing as climate-neutral policy—measures either help or hurt. This moment of crisis is a rare opportunity to fix the future by healing the present.” —As told to Eric Roston

Hal Harvey, CEO, Energy Innovation

Implement clean standards widely.

“President-elect Biden outlined his plan for America to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2035, en route to zeroing out all U.S. emissions by mid-century. Such ‘standards’ mandate achieving a certain goal, and are proven in the energy realm, having spurred the boom in wind and solar. Well-designed public standards are common across our economy: It’s how we get clean water, safe food, buildings that don’t fall down, and safe medicines. Standards are common because they work.”

“Clean energy standards in 30 U.S. states have helped reduce power sector carbon emissions. But once the new administration takes office, other critical industries like transportation and buildings would benefit from standards. The Biden administration should set minimum requirements that make 60% of new car sales zero-emission vehicles by 2030, with interim targets along the way. Because cars take about 17 years to wear out, we must start now.”

“Buildings, which burn fossil-fuels for heat, need to zero out that practice as well—we think by 2025 for new construction. Electrifying buildings, like automobiles, reduces their emissions footprint as the grid cleans up. That process is on its way. Buildings, it’s worth noting, last far longer even than cars, hence the need to start promptly, lest we burden home owners and the planet alike with unsustainable fossil fuels.”

“The upshot is simple: decarbonize the grid, and electrify (almost) everything. Get started now, so we don’t build another generation of fossil-dependent infrastructure. And use clear standards to drive this progress.” —As told to Eric Roston

Zeke Hausfather, Director of Climate and Energy, The Breakthrough Institute

Go hard on RD&D.

“A future Biden administration will likely have a narrow window after the inauguration when large-scale investments are possible as part of an economic recovery package. There are many impactful policies that could likely be enacted even in the absence of larger, highly uncertain political shifts like abolishing the filibuster. For instance, while regulatory approaches are a key component of climate mitigation, research, development, and deployment—RD&D—is one area where there has been persistent bipartisan support for climate action.”

“President-elect Biden should both ask Congress for higher RD&D spending and direct his Cabinet secretaries—particularly Energy—to prioritize programs that fund the deployment of new low-carbon technologies across all sectors of the economy. Such a push from a new president could lead to breakthroughs we need in clean electricity generation, low-carbon transportation alternatives, carbon capture and storage, and lower-carbon agricultural practices. The Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, which famously gave the country Tesla and many other viable concerns, deserves a bigger sequel to its successes after the Great Recession.

"The country also needs a lot of new power transmission and grid modernization, including large investments in grid-scale storage—both batteries and other novel approaches—to enable a higher renewable future. Grid modernization could occur in tandem with the building of a national electric-vehicle charging network.” —As told to Eric Roston

Katharine Hayhoe, Atmospheric Scientist, Texas Tech University

Put scientists in charge of science.

“Thermometers aren’t Republican and Democratic, but this simple fact has been lost in the politicization that distorts American discussions of climate change.”

“The outgoing administration has, at least metaphorically, tried to create such thermometers. They have interfered with the integrity of the scientific process, jeopardizing leaders’ ability to make facts-based decisions that protect the country and its people.”

“Just in the last month, we learned that the Energy Department withheld the results of dozens of clean energy studies. NOAA has filled important science roles with men of questionable qualifications. The longstanding director of the U.S. Global Change Research Program was removed the week after the election. And a recent White House Office of Science and Technology Policy press release claimed Trump had ended Covid-19 as infections reached their highest peak since the pandemic began and ensured “the American people will have clean air, clean water, and a resilient environment” when in fact the Administration has rolled back more than 100 climate and environment policies.”

“Scientific inquiry must be free of political interference. For that reason, President-elect Biden should remove from positions of influence all science agency officials who have been suppressing research, intimidating scientists, and misrepresenting facts.”

“The reality is this: we humans, including our economy and our political systems, cannot exist without the resources our planet provides. Climate change affects us all, no matter how we vote. And it requires urgent action, before it’s too late. Silencing the messengers won’t make it go away.” —As told to Eric Roston

John Hoeppner, Head of U.S. Stewardship and Investments, Legal & General Investment Management America

Reveal the real financial risks of climate change.

“Over the past four years, the U.S. government has not provided clear long-term direction on climate priorities, and subsequently, U.S. companies have not kept up with global environmental progress. This week provided a stark illustration of that disparity as the U.K. moved to require climate disclosures for large companies and financial institutions by 2025, while the Federal Reserve acknowledged climate change as a systemic financial risk in its semi-annual assessment for the very first time.”

“There is a common formula for success though: collective will paired with decisive government action. While capital markets will drive progress against climate standards over the long run, progress in the U.S. has been slow. Our capital markets don’t understand how to value climate risks because those risks aren’t being effectively disclosed. The market’s invisible hand is tied behind its back."

"The president-elect must step in to solve intractable challenges that the free market cannot. To start, policymakers must establish a price on carbon to incentivize businesses to invest in renewables and reduce operational reliance on fossil fuels. Second, joining international groups that are established to address climate risk will provide clear direction for companies and align the U.S. with global climate expectations. Finally, encouraging and even mandating climate disclosure and climate stress testing across corporate entities will ensure we have a financial system that's better prepared for long term economic risk.” —As told to Eric Roston

Jesse D. Jenkins, Assistant Professor and Macro-Scale Energy Systems Engineer at Princeton University; & Constantine Samaras, Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University

Make sure the real power-brokers are power-brokering for climate.

“President-elect Biden’s chief of staff and OMB director must align all federal agencies, spending, and legislative strategy around four big goals: ending the pandemic, rebuilding the economy, dismantling systemic racism, and confronting climate change.”

“The OMB director sets the budget and policy guidance that aligns all federal programs and regulations. The chief of staff directs the West Wing and is also the lead negotiator for the president’s legislative agenda. Both are key: much can be done with executive authority, but Congress controls the power of the purse, and a large pandemic relief and economic recovery bill that centers on clean energy is much-needed.”

“The wide reach of these two key figures is crucial because climate change affects everything. There’s no single federal agency that can build a climate-resilient national infrastructure, deploy clean energy technologies, ensure a just transition to clean-energy, and manage climate disasters.”

“Every regulation, executive action, dollar spent, and legislative proposal should be crafted with several questions in mind:
• How can we rebuild our economy with clean and energy-efficient technologies?
• How can we future-proof our critical infrastructure for a changing climate?
• How can America manufacture and export climate tech?
• How can we reduce the public health impacts of fossil energy, which disproportionately hit vulnerable communities?”

“A climate-focused Director of Office of Management and Budget and Chief of Staff can ensure these key questions will be prioritized in every corner of the Executive Branch.” —As told to Eric Roston

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Jean Flemma, Co-Founders, Urban Ocean Lab

Think of the ocean.

“When we think of climate policy, we should think of the ocean. The ocean is not merely a victim of climate change (warming and acidifying waters, bleaching reefs, sea level rise), it is also a hero. For example, in the U.S., offshore wind energy is a massive unrealized opportunity that could create 80,000 green jobs a year. We lag far behind other countries in making use of this resource, with only one commercially operating offshore wind farm and a handful in advanced development.”

“The Biden Administration should make offshore wind central to their stated goal of 100% clean energy by 2035 by increasing the efficiency of the permitting process (which can currently take 5+ years), conducting scientific research to minimize environmental impacts, and developing a comprehensive plan for transmission. And Congress can accelerate the industry via tax incentives, funding for R&D, workforce training, investments in supply chains, etc.”

“Almost 40% of Americans live in coastal counties. Offshore, wind blows more strongly and consistently—it can be a key source of clean energy right where it is needed most. We can become a world leader in offshore wind. And wouldn’t it be great to have a country powered by ocean breezes instead of a president who is full of hot air.” —As told to Eric Roston

Janis Searles Jones, CEO, Ocean Conservancy

Clean up shipping.

“We can’t solve the climate crisis without ocean-based solutions—period. The ocean is a source of vast offshore renewable energy potential. If we protect and restore them, coastal ecosystems can absorb carbon at rates up to four times those of terrestrial forests. And we have a major opportunity to reduce emissions with the shipping industry—if it were a country, it would be the sixth largest emitter. Altogether, ocean-based solutions can contribute up to 21% of the emissions reductions we need to limit climate change.”

“In his first 100 days, President-elect Biden should commit to a global goal of zeroing out shipping emissions, in line with limiting planetary warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. To meet this goal, we need to cut shipping emissions by 100% by 2035. The administration must incentivize ports to transition from fossil fuels towards electrified power grids that draw on renewable energy sources. It should also advance the adoption of clean fuels on vessels. Many ships currently in global trade rely on heavy fuel oil, which is among the most polluting, dirty type of fuel. The technology and clean fuels already exist for the industry to make the switch. What we need now is the Biden administration to make it a priority.” —As told to Jess Shankleman

Lynn Jurich, CEO, Sunrun Inc.

Throw support behind solar energy.

“Solar as we know has huge bipartisan support. Nine out of 10 Americans are in favor of more solar energy. It’s a massive job creator.”

“One of the most effective ways we can get to net-zero carbon is to fully electrify our buildings and our homes. What Biden should do is put in incentives to fully electrify our buildings and power them with renewables. The faster we subsidize [energy] storage, the faster we can do it—and the least expensive it’s going to be. The longer we wait, the more expensive it's going to be.”

“I’d really encourage and/or mandate instant-permitting and interconnection into the electric grid for solar and batteries. The permitting idea doesn’t cost the government money. It just saves consumers money.” —As told to Brian Eckhouse

Joseph Lake, COO, The Climate Service

Take advantage of the Fed’s agenda-setting power.

“President-elect Biden will make headlines by re-entering the Paris Agreement, creating a more ambitious decarbonization plan, and spending billions of federal dollars on low-carbon infrastructure and energy. However, if the Democrats fail to win a Senate majority, the president-elect will struggle to pass substantive legislation, and will look for other levers to pull.”

“One such lever would be to encourage the U.S. Federal Reserve to join the Network for Greening the Financial System, a global green coalition of 75 central banks and regulators. These members—which include the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the People’s Bank of China—are working together to strengthen the global response to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and to mobilize global capital for green and low-carbon investments.”

“Joining the NGFS has three additional advantages for a Biden administration. First, it can be implemented quickly without partisan debate. Second, it would help to de-politicize the issue of climate change. The more such actions are viewed as prudent measures to protect the economy, the lower the risk that they will be overturned in the future. Third, while the Fed has already been monitoring the activities of the NGFS, joining would allow the U.S. to become a global leader, rather than following the advice of others.”

“Highlighting the severe financial cost of inaction on climate will accelerate the reallocation of capital away from carbon-intensive industries. President-elect Biden has an opportunity to put a price on climate change and leverage the power of the private sector to combat the biggest challenge facing not just his administration, but the planet.” —As told to Akshat Rathi

Joseph Majkut, Director of Climate Policy, Niskanen Center

Build—with a carbon price.

“In his sweeping plans to address climate change, Joe Biden has talked a lot about the importance of investment. Investment is the right approach, because action on climate requires building a lot of clean stuff. The most effective approach would bring the White House and Congress together on a legislative package combining early public investments in resilient and low-carbon infrastructure with a carbon price..”

“Why is upfront public investment important? Because the shock of Covid has left the economy in a tenuous state. Immediate investments in infrastructure will stabilize the economy and boost jobs, while lowering the long-term damage from climate change. These investments should prioritize making our infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather because we know the worst is still coming. They should also help build what we need for a low-carbon economy: transmission lines for clean energy, pipelines for waste CO2, and chargers for electric vehicles–not to mention low-carbon heating and cooling options for homes and businesses.”

“And why a carbon price? Because, in the long term, spending will have to give way to markets. And a carbon tax would reset the market for decarbonization. Mr. Biden’s legacy should be one of fair, fast, and clean economic growth. This is the plan to get there.” —As told to Eric Roston

Gina McCarthy, President and CEO, Natural Resources Defense Council; Former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Appoint a champion for the EPA.

“The Trump team has done a lot of damage to the EPA, but I firmly believe—and I’m really confident—that Biden can rebuild EPA back stronger than before. First, he should pick what I consider to be the Anthony Fauci of the environment to head EPA. That doesn’t necessarily mean they have to be a scientist, but what it does mean is they have to be unassailable in terms of their credibility with the scientists, and with the public and advocates. We are looking a leader who stands up for the science and the law, one that actually understands the mission of EPA and stands up for it at every turn. There are thousands of mission-driven individuals in that agency that are ready to rock-and-roll and do their job again. That’s the exciting thing—while we dwell on whether or not EPA can be turned around, all they really need is a leader who says ‘OK, ready, set, go!’” —As told to Leslie Kaufman

R.L. Miller, Political Director, Climate Hawks Vote

Flood the zone.

“Climate hawks who were paying attention to Trump’s regulatory rollbacks, all done through the executive branch alone, were aghast as each rollback was worse than the prior one. Most Americans just tuned out after Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement (if not before then), unable to track each and every assault on bedrock environmental protection rules.”

“So rather than tell Biden to pick one climate policy, I’d tell him to introduce two or three rules every single day of his first 100 days. Some of it will be repairing the damage: reinstating mercury regulations, lead standards, more. Go big with clean cars, and go small with methane regulations. Set a realistic social cost of carbon price. Give federal employees a fossil free portfolio choice. Put the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge off-limits, find a way to re-protect the Tongass National Forest, put a fair price on coal leased on Western public lands, everything.”

“But if I had to pick only one, it would focus on clean cars. Public transit is not going to be trusted while Covid-19 rampages unchecked. So write CAFE standards that reach 100 mpg by 2030. Combine it with an aggressive cash-for-clunkers program that pays out a lot more early, e.g., $10,000 rebate in the 1st year, $9,000 rebate in the second year, etc., so that a person waiting until 2030 only gets a $1,000 rebate.” —As told to Eric Roston

Julia Olson, Executive Director and Chief Legal Counsel, Our Children’s Trust

Secure our children’s future.

“In his first 100 days, Biden can create a legacy for 100 years by enshrining science-based climate protection as a fundamental constitutional right for children and generations to come. Biden’s Department of Justice must abandon the Trump administration’s strategy of closing the courthouse doors to children, re-legitimizing the judiciary as the constitutional check on our other branches of government.”

“Biden’s administration will become defendants in Juliana v. United States, the constitutional climate recovery lawsuit brought by 21 young Americans against the U.S. government. The U.S. District Court found in the children’s favor in 2016, ruling that our Constitution secures the right to a climate system capable of sustaining life and that the case should advance to trial. Despite clear evidence that their government is harming them by causing the rapidly worsening climate crisis, Trump’s DOJ argued the Constitution does not give youth access to the courts nor protect those rights.”

“Biden should declare:
• Children have the right to bring constitutional climate claims to protect their life and liberty.
• Courts have a duty to declare children’s fundamental rights.
• His administration’s DOJ will seek justice in our courts, not wins in the shadows.”

“Biden says a clean energy future is required ‘for our children and grandchildren, so their tomorrow is healthier, safer, and more just.’ The rights of children must dictate actions of his DOJ and Cabinet.” —As told to Eric Roston

Alejandro Pérez, Senior Vice President, Policy and Government Affairs, WWF

Retake global leadership.

“The Biden Administration should move quickly to return climate change to the center of the U.S. diplomatic agenda. Given the intertwined crises we are facing from a warming planet and the rapid loss of global biodiversity, support for international conservation should be a high priority of the Administration as well, including promoting sustainable approaches to infrastructure development and nature-based solutions to climate change."

"The Paris Agreement provides the framework for countries to work together to address climate change and increase their ambition over time, but it needs to be complemented with concerted U.S. leadership in numerous other multilateral fora such as the G7 and the G20, and through reinvigorated bilateral diplomacy, particularly with China and other major emerging economies.”

“Restoring the U.S. to its position as a global climate leader will also require renewing America’s commitments to the least developed and most vulnerable countries and helping to mobilize public and private dollars for international climate finance. In his first budget, President-elect Biden should request increased funding from Congress for U.S. foreign assistance programs that help developing countries build resilience to climate impacts, transition to clean and renewable energy, and conserve their forests and other carbon-rich ecosystems.” —As told to Eric Roston

John Podesta, Founder and Director, Center for American Progress

Join the global consensus on climate change.

“World leaders pledged in Paris five years ago to commit to climate goals, be transparent about their progress, and—critically—join a global gut-check every few years over who needs to be more ambitious.”

“The gut-check is happening right now. The effect of nations prodding each other, and standing commitments up against the latest science is what will keep global ambition headed in the right direction. That’s particularly true since the catastrophic effects of global warming are coming sooner than people thought even a decade ago.”

“President-elect Joe Biden will enter office as nations continue to step up climate commitments. The European Union is considering a 55% emissions reduction below 1990 levels by 2030, on their way to net-zero by 2050. The U.K. is in a similar place. President Xi announced that China would be carbon neutral by 2060.”

“President-Elect Biden has committed the United States to net-zero emissions by 2050, which is what we need to avoid catastrophic damage to nature, the economy, and the security and well-being of the American people. Even if the final election results return a Republican majority to the Senate, President-elect Biden will have to make good on his promise to invest in the jobs, business, and technology that will build a just, equitable, and 100% clean economy. U.S. international leadership on climate is only credible if it’s built on a strong domestic commitment to decarbonization.”

“Joe Biden is one of America’s most experienced and patient diplomats. He will refresh U.S. leadership and call forth stronger ambition worldwide, so that nations’ goals together fall in line with scientific necessity.” —As told to Eric Roston

V. Ram Ramanathan, Frieman Presidential Professor of Climate Sustainability at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography; Council Member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Vatican City.

Target superpollutant emissions.

“Climate change will move into everyone’s living room, just like Covid, only there are no vaccines in the works. Instead, we have to bend the curve of global warming itself downward. This can be done by cutting emissions of four superpollutants: methane, black-carbon (soot), low-lying ozone, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)."

“Reductions in superpollutants have to be achieved globally, because emissions anywhere cause global warming everywhere. If America leads a global effort to cut the superpollutants, the rate of warming projected for the next 20 years can be cut by half, in addition to cutting by half the rate of melting of Arctic sea ice.”

“Since soot and ozone are also harmful air pollutants, cutting their emissions would save 2.4 million lives lost every year to air pollution worldwide, thus marrying global interests with local national interests.” —As told to Eric Roston

Valerie Rockefeller, Peter Gill Case, Daniel Growald, and Vanessa Fajans-Turner, BankFWD Co-Chairs, Co-Founders, and Executive Director

Keep finance honest on their contributions to climate change.

“Since 2016, the world’s top 35 banks have undermined the Paris Agreement by providing $2.7 trillion to the fossil fuel industry. We urge President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris to act decisively and swiftly to manage the risk that climate change poses to our economy by ensuring that our banks, asset managers, and insurers become responsible and accountable climate actors, rather than climate change drivers. Specifically, we suggest that this administration:
• Exercise its executive authority and that of federal regulators under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to require banks to report in more detail about their existing business with the fossil fuel industry and require higher capital requirements for banks with higher climate risk.
• Increase corporate accountability through the Securities and Exchange Commission by requiring companies to publicly disclose their climate-related risk.
• Protect pensions with clear policy preferences for limiting climate risk, beginning with divestment from fossil fuels.
• Work with international allies to build a more resilient financial and environmental future for our planet by joining global coalitions like that of central banks known as the Network on Greening the Financial System.
• Appoint a treasury secretary, SEC chair, and financial regulators at all levels who are committed to holding financial institutions accountable for climate risk.” —As told to Eric Roston

Steven M. Rothstein, Managing Director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets

Mandate disclosure of climate risk in finance.

“One crucial thing that a Biden administration could execute on would be to ask U.S. financial regulators to establish mandatory, consistent, industry-wide climate risk disclosure. This would send a clear market signal across every sector of the economy, and communicate that understanding and mitigating climate risk is critical to the financial stability of our country. The old adage is true: what gets measured gets managed. A clear directive from a Biden administration would ensure our financial regulators fulfil their mandate and act to protect our financial system.” —As told to Saijel Kishan

Ricardo Salles, Minister of the Environment of Brazil

Buy carbon credits from Brazil.

“He wants to help the Amazon? Then he needs to buy carbon credits from Brazil. This is my suggestion for him.”

“The effective way to help is to buy credit and regulate this in the Paris Agreement, since the United States has a pro-business vision and what we need in the Amazon is sustainability businesses and the participation of the U.S. private sector in the biodiversity industry of the Amazon, creating jobs and investments.” —As told to Simone Iglesias

Scott Segal, Energy Lawyer and Lobbyist, Bracewell LLP

Don’t give up on Congress.

“One of Joe Biden’s greatest strengths is his understanding of Congress, an institution he served faithfully for years. Because climate change is a complex issue that deserves balanced, effective and durable solutions, I advise climate engagement with Congress on both sides of the aisle and within the first hundred days.”

“While some say divided government makes legislative action on climate impossible, the historical record shows that divided government can be the most productive—but you have to know what you’re doing. The most aggressive legislative proposals may indeed be off the table, but there are a raft of climate policies that flange up nicely with infrastructure and government investment that could be the basis of bipartisan compromise. Falling for the siren song of mere executive authority regarding climate change will miss important opportunities to work with Congress and may be turned back by an increasingly conservative judiciary. Green tax incentives, research efforts focused on scalability and commercialization, energy storage through batteries and hydrogen, carbon capture and sequestration, new refrigerants, new vehicle and fuel strategies, and even clean-energy standards have all been the subject of bipartisan legislative efforts. A president with a respect for Congress as an institution and a good relationship with Congressional leadership can draw proposals like these together and make real climate progress. But it will take honest engagement, early and often in the next Administration. While it’s hard to pass legislation in a hundred days, experience dictates you can make significant progress toward achieving that goal.” —As told to Eric Roston

Mike Sommers, President and CEO, American Petroleum Institute

Back carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies.

“President-elect Biden, Vice President-elect Harris, and the next Congress are facing great challenges. As an industry, we stand ready to work with our newly elected leaders to address the immediate task of economic recovery, as well as the long-term issues of energy affordability and climate change.”

“More must be done to accelerate energy innovation and climate solutions. Both Democrats and Republicans understand the critical role of technology and innovation in driving solutions, specifically emphasizing the importance of carbon capture, utilization and storage. But America’s natural gas and oil companies haven’t waited for governments to act on climate—we have driven progress though technology, innovation, and constant reinvention, and we’ll support bipartisan policies that build on that progress. Through American ingenuity and smart policy-making, together we can build a better, cleaner future while expanding access to affordable, reliable energy.”

“Energy is a driving force for every economic sector in America. That’s why now more than ever, we need policies that support U.S. energy leadership, keep household energy costs low and protect and grow the 10 million skilled jobs supported by our industry.” —As told to Eric Roston

Leah Stokes, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of California, Santa Barbara

Enact a clean electricity standard.

“In his first 100 days, President-elect Joe Biden should ensure Congress enacts a Clean Electricity Standard (CES) that targets 100% clean electricity by 2035. This policy would require utilities to clean up operations over the coming decade and a half. While Congress has considered enacting a CES for decades, it has never passed one through both chambers. Instead, states have taken the lead, with a majority passing clean energy targets. And many states and cities have ratcheted up their ambition: already, one in three Americans lives in a state or city that is targeting 100% clean power.”

“To be successful, a CES policy must also include a significant focus on energy efficiency. As we move off of powering our cars with oil and our homes with fossil gas, we will need more electricity overall. Hence, ensuring that all the power we make is used as efficiently as possible will be important.”

“Cleaning up our electricity system will also need to be done with equity in mind. Right now, many Americans are struggling to pay their electricity bills during the pandemic. The federal government should invest in policies that help these families, for example by expanding the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). To ensure that the costs of the transition are not pushed onto everyday Americans, the federal government should look hard at refinancing coal plant debt to help these dirty projects shut down quickly and ensure transition assistance for communities and relief for ratepayers.” —As told to Eric Roston

Samuel Thernstrom, Founder and CEO, Energy Innovation Reform Project

Pass enduring—i.e. bipartisan—climate legislation.

“Joe Biden ran promising ‘results, not a revolution.’ Nowhere is that approach more needed than in climate policy. After decades of unmet ambitions, results would be revolutionary. Given the Covid-infected economy, this is a good time to invest in modernizing our energy infrastructure and strengthening America's global competitiveness—but not the time to impose immediate new regulations on power producers.”

“Bipartisan legislation can break through decades of climate policy gridlock by requiring decarbonization of the power sector by mid-century while giving utilities a decade to plan for implementation. During that decade, massive federal investments in infrastructure and technology deployment will cut the cost of compliance, preserve fuel diversity, and radically reduce emissions. Reps. David McKinley (R-WV) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) are planning to introduce legislation to do exactly this. Industry, innovators, and investors do need to know what will be required of them.”

“Leaving climate policy to the vagaries of political and judicial processes is a profound deterrent to the capital investments that are essential to both environmental progress and economic competitiveness.” —As told to Eric Roston

Laurence Tubiana, CEO, European Climate Foundation

Move the U.S. away from natural gas.

“As President, Biden needs to get the U.S. off its gas addiction so that we can create green jobs that are fit for a different future. A move to clean up methane leaks and dirty gas production would be to the long-term benefit of the American economy, and importantly would send a strong signal to the rest of the world that the U.S. is all in on the climate fight. With country after country committing to net-zero, the risks facing dirty fossil fuel industries aren’t going away anytime soon.” —As told to Jess Shankleman

Janet Yellen, Co-Chair, G30 Working Group on Climate Change and Finance; Former Chair, Federal Reserve

Establish a carbon tax.

“Carbon pricing is key. All firms across our economy need to pay the price of polluting the planet. It will certainly affect the economics of fracking and coal—the idea is to drive that stuff out of business over time. Maybe it doesn’t sound pleasant to say, but that’s what has to happen.” —As told to Jess Shankleman

Adam Zurofsky, Executive Director, Rewiring America

Shoot for the moon on a clean power grid.

“As a candidate, President-elect Biden proposed an aggressive climate agenda, including a commitment to clean up America’s power grid by 2035. And, while that is welcome, our analysis—funded in part by the Department of Energy—shows that we can go even bigger.”

“Roadmaps for decarbonizing the economy typically look only at individual sectors such as the power grid, transportation, or buildings. By looking at how these sectors interact across the economy we have been able to identify previously underappreciated opportunities.”

“The key to our plan is electrification. If we committed to replacing the fossil fuel machines we currently use with their electric counterparts and enacted supportive policies, we could slash our energy emissions, save the average American household as much as $2,500 a year on energy bills, and create as many as 25 million new jobs.”

“The transition starts with an intense ‘mobilization period’ in which government and critical industries build out clean energy capacity on a wartime-like footing. Government will also need to help Americans overcome what are currently higher up-front costs of switching to clean energy—that means credit support to spur private lending, optimizing permitting and building codes, and training electricians and other workers in order to meet demand. It also means regulatory reform to drive a more dynamic, clean grid that allows the solar panels on my roof to store electricity in the battery of your EV to power the electric stove in the White House.”

“The best part is that we can do all of this now, with existing technologies, and without compromising our lifestyles. When it comes to climate policy, bigger truly is better.” —As told to Eric Roston