(Washington, D.C., Wednesday, August 11, 2021) – With the U.S. Senate’s passage of the bipartisan infrastructure package followed by a more-expansive budget reconciliation plan, and with the House expected take up the bills as well, America is on the cusp of putting forward dramatic climate and clean energy solutions that will boost jobs and improve our country’s infrastructure.

Derek Walker, Vice President of U.S. Climate at the Environmental Defense Fund comments on the packages and what they mean for our economy, our health and the environment.

The movement on the Hill comes as President Biden this week announced a multipronged plan to make cars and trucks in the U.S. more fuel-efficient and accelerate our shift to electric vehicles—an unprecedented step towards reducing transportation pollution.

On Monday, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will release a new report that is expected to show global temperatures rising quicker than expected and highlight the long-term effects of increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As Derek can discuss, the recent movement both at the White House and Capitol Hill could not come soon enough if the United States wants to be a global leader on climate change.

Environmental Defense Fund’s mission is to preserve the natural systems on which all life depends. Guided by science and economics, they find practical and lasting solutions to the most serious environmental problems.