Steering Historic U.S. Climate Policy – Yale School of the Environment

Report on U.S. Climate Policy and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

This report details the efforts of Maggie Thomas, former chief of staff for the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy, in overseeing the implementation of landmark U.S. federal legislation. The focus is on the alignment of these policies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of climate action, clean energy, economic growth, and sustainable infrastructure.

Landmark Legislation and Contribution to SDG 13 (Climate Action)

During her tenure, Thomas was instrumental in the enactment of two significant pieces of legislation aimed at decarbonizing the U.S. economy, directly addressing the objectives of SDG 13: Climate Action.

• The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): As the largest climate investment in U.S. history, this act allocated over $370 billion to combat climate change and accelerate the clean energy transition.
• The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: This legislation provided $550 billion for modernizing national infrastructure with a focus on climate resilience and sustainability.

These legislative actions represent a substantial national commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Economic and Social Impact: Advancing SDG 7, 8, and 9

The implementation of the IRA and the Infrastructure Act has yielded significant progress toward several interconnected SDGs, fostering a sustainable and inclusive economy.

1. Clean Energy and Job Creation (SDG 7 & SDG 8): The policies facilitated the creation of over 300,000 jobs in the clean energy sector, promoting SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).
2. Youth Employment Initiative (SDG 8): Thomas spearheaded the launch of the American Climate Corps, an initiative that successfully employed 20,000 young people in roles focused on clean energy, conservation, and climate resilience, further contributing to the goals of decent work for all.
3. Sustainable Infrastructure (SDG 9): The focus on upgrading national infrastructure aligns with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by building resilient systems capable of supporting a sustainable, modern economy.

Fostering Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration for the Goals (SDG 17)

A key strategy highlighted by Thomas is the importance of broad-based collaboration, which is the central tenet of SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. The successful implementation of climate policy relied on leveraging power beyond federal legislation and fostering cooperation among various entities.

• Cities
• States
• Tribal Nations
• The Private Sector

This approach underscores the necessity of multi-stakeholder partnerships to achieve ambitious climate and sustainability targets.

Conclusion and Future Outlook

Despite facing significant barriers, the successful enactment and implementation of these climate policies demonstrate that rapid, large-scale government action is achievable. The work has laid a foundation for continued progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. The future strategy requires persistent creativity and innovative, “outside the box” thinking to build on existing momentum. The continued collaboration between public and private sectors will be essential to pivot towards new opportunities and ensure a sustainable future for subsequent generations.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  The article focuses heavily on the “clean energy transition” and the significant financial investments made through the Inflation Reduction Act to “advance the clean energy transition,” which directly aligns with the goal of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The creation of jobs is a prominent theme. The article explicitly states that the implemented legislation “created more than 300,000 clean energy jobs” and established the American Climate Corps to “employ young Americans,” connecting directly to the goal of promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth and decent work.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  The article mentions the “$550 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” which aims to build resilient infrastructure. This, combined with the goal of “decarbonizing the U.S. economy,” points to efforts to upgrade infrastructure and industries to be more sustainable and environmentally sound.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  This is the central theme of the article. Maggie Thomas’s work in the “Office of Domestic Climate Policy” and the enactment of legislation specifically designed to “address climate change” are direct examples of urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article highlights the importance of collaboration, quoting Thomas: “We’re already seeing cities, states, tribes, and the private sector coming together.” This reflects the multi-stakeholder partnerships needed to achieve sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

   • Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The article’s discussion of the “clean energy transition” and the more than “$370 billion to address climate change” through the Inflation Reduction Act directly supports this target by funding the shift to renewables.
   • Target 7.a: By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology… and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology. The article details massive domestic investment in “clean energy” and infrastructure, which is a foundational step aligned with the spirit of this target.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all… The creation of “more than 300,000 clean energy jobs” is a direct contribution to this target.
   • Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training. The American Climate Corps, which was established to “employ young Americans” and had “put 20,000 young people to work in the field” by 2024, directly addresses this goal.

3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable… The article’s reference to the “$550 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” and the overall goal of “decarbonizing the U.S. economy” aligns with upgrading infrastructure for sustainability.

4. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The entire article is an example of this target in action, detailing the work of the White House “Office of Domestic Climate Policy” to enact the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as core parts of the national strategy.

5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships… The statement that “cities, states, tribes, and the private sector coming together” is a direct reference to the formation of such multi-stakeholder partnerships to tackle climate issues.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

   • Financial Investment: The article specifies that the Inflation Reduction Act provided “more than $370 billion to address climate change and advance the clean energy transition.” This monetary value serves as a key indicator of the scale of investment in clean energy.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Number of Jobs Created: The article provides a specific figure of “more than 300,000 clean energy jobs” created by the legislation, which is a direct quantitative indicator of progress.
   • Number of Youth Employed: The article states that the American Climate Corps “had put 20,000 young people to work in the field” by 2024, serving as a specific indicator for youth employment in the green economy.

3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

   • Financial Investment in Infrastructure: The mention of the “$550 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” is a financial indicator of the commitment to developing and upgrading national infrastructure.

4. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Adoption of National Policies: The enactment of the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” and the “Inflation Reduction Act” are themselves indicators of the integration of climate action into national policy.
   • Establishment of Institutional Mechanisms: The creation of the “Office of Domestic Climate Policy” and the launch of the “American Climate Corps” are indicators of institutional capacity being built to address climate change.

5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Formation of Multi-Stakeholder Collaborations: The article provides a qualitative indicator by noting that “cities, states, tribes, and the private sector” are “coming together,” which points to the existence and activation of partnerships.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: environment.yale.edu