Climate Activists Optimistic on New Bill
While it’s too early to say problem solved, it’s a step in the right direction.
Today, the United States House of Representatives is poised to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, a massive bill that, among other things, seeks to set up transformative changes that encourage widespread adoption of green energy policies. The Inflation Reduction Act is quite possibly the biggest positive step that the United States has taken in the fight against climate change in years, and climate activists are optimistic.
“This legislation is a true game-changer. It will create jobs, lower costs, increase U.S. competitiveness, reduce air pollution,” said former Vice President and prominent climate change activist Al Gore. “The momentum that will come out of this legislation, cannot be underestimated.”
“It’s not as big as I want, but it’s also bigger than anything we’ve ever done,″ said Hawaii Democrat and Senate climate caucus leader Senator Brian Schatz. “A 40% emissions reduction is nothing the US has ever come close to before.″
“It’s a mark of shame that it took this long for our political system to react,” said climate activist Bill McKibben, adding that oil industries still have a lot of control over the matter. “But this will help catalyze action elsewhere in the world; it’s a declaration that hydrocarbons are finally in decline and clean energy ascendant, and that the climate movement is finally at least something of a match for Big Oil.”
Some of the Inflation Reduction Act's $369 billion in energy and climate spending aims to make it easier and cheaper for Americans to live more sustainably.
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While this is undoubtedly a victory in the battle against climate change, though, activists are still urging caution and encouraging further action. “This law is big for the US but in global terms long overdue,” said Niklas Hohne, co-founder of the New Climate Institute in Germany. “The US has a long way to go on climate change and is starting from a very, very high emission level.”