Blake Carroll shares a report from the Earth Institute at Columbia Climate School on the Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator Act.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
H.R. 806, cited as the “Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator Act,” will establish a non-profit corporation to be known as the Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator. This organization is charged with reducing the emission of greenhouse gases and other dangerous pollutants by catalysing investment in emerging energy technologies and sustainable infrastructure. This report will outline the environmental and public health implications of emissions; the mechanisms through which the Accelerator can mitigate emissions; the technological, financial, and administrative challenges associated with the Accelerator’s projects; the Accelerator’s investment criteria and standards; and the metrics most useful in judging the Accelerator’s success.
Accelerator initiatives will not only invest directly in low- and zero-emissions technologies and infrastructure, but also encourage private investment in projects with low potential for short-term profit but a strong link to equity and public wellbeing. This legislation was crafted to support climate-impacted and otherwise marginalized communities through a period of economic transition and mitigate the environmental harms which these communities are disproportionately likely to experience. The proposed Act also secures the rights and welfare of workers engaged in projects associated with the Accelerator.
Key points include:
- Accelerator as a climate policy tool
- Accelerator initiatives
- Scientific indicators of success
Read the full report, Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator Act, on LinkedIn.