Ceres urges lawmakers to strengthen the bipartisan infrastructure package announced today to include additional measures that will help tackle the climate crisis as the plan advances through Congress.
The deal includes some new funding for clean energy and transportation, including for much-needed electric vehicle infrastructure and updates to the country’s power infrastructure. However, it falls short on the much bolder climate policies and investments included in President Biden’s initial infrastructure proposal from March, and fails to address the water crisis at scale, allocating only a small portion of funding to addressing climate-driven drought in the western U.S.
“Ceres is encouraged by a bipartisan group of lawmakers working in good faith on critical infrastructure issues. However, the package announced today does not reach the level of ambition we need to stave off the devastating impacts of the climate crisis,” said Anne Kelly, vice president of government relations at the sustainability nonprofit Ceres. “Businesses across the U.S. have championed the Biden administration’s goal to accelerate the transition to a just and sustainable net zero emissions future, and a strong infrastructure package is necessary to help make progress toward that goal in this decade.”
Earlier this year, Ceres mobilized more than 80 major businesses and investors—including Amazon, LafargeHolcim, McDonald’s, Siemens, and Uber—to urge Congress to enact strong climate policies, including a climate-friendly infrastructure bill, during its virtual LEAD on Climate event.
“This remains an enormous opportunity to take on the most pressing issues facing our nation and the economy,” Kelly added. “This bipartisan group has taken an admirable step by working together to fix our nation’s aging infrastructure. Now Congress must bring the same level of urgency and ambition to the climate crisis—if not in this infrastructure bill then in another passed through budget reconciliation.”
In July, America Is All In, of which Ceres is a founding partner, will organize another advocacy day with businesses and other non-federal leaders from cities, states, tribal nations, and other community institutions to call for urgent climate policy action.
Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies and nonprofits, we drive action and inspire equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.