How to lock in U.S. climate progress before 2025

With an anti-climate-action trifecta at the federal level, the next four years will not bring the bold climate action we need. But we can – and must – still squeeze out as much meaningful progress as possible. 

In these final few weeks of 2024, the best thing to focus on is supporting the Biden-Harris Administration in locking in historic climate progress.

The good news: the climate movement has a lot on our side and a roadmap for the months and years ahead. We’ll be smart and pragmatic at the federal level, playing defense when it’s most impactful and making forward progress on emissions reductions, perhaps without ever mentioning ‘climate change.’ We’ll go all-in on state and local action, where pro-climate-policymakers are well-poised to build on the massive investment already made by the Inflation Reduction Act to bring the U.S. significantly closer to our climate goals.  

What we can do in December 2024

In these final few weeks of 2024, the best thing to focus on is supporting the current administration in locking in historic climate progress. Unfortunately, the next President and Congress have the legal authority to undo a great deal of this climate progress. But it will take a lot of work, because most of these wins can’t be undone in one fell swoop. For each regulation, executive order, or guidance from the Biden-Harris Administration, the next administration will have to issue new ones. Herein lies the strategy in this final window. 

Climate advocates need the Biden Administration to make as much progress as possible, so the next administration has to work overtime to pull them all down. The more that go up, the more are likely to stick – either because they’ll fly under the radar or undoing them will seem like more effort than it’s worth to a busy presidential transition team. 

So what progress could we lock in? 

There are two big buckets of climate action that the Biden-Harris Administration can take before January 2025: 

(1) Finalizing pro-climate regulations 

(2) Getting Inflation Reduction Act money out the door and into communities.

The laundry list in each category is quite extensive – and quite wonky. Ready? Think: EPA finalizing the California Waiver; DOE’s LPO signing loan guarantees for demonstration projects; Treasury finalizing clean energy and hydrogen tax credits. For a deeper dive on these and more, check out these resources from the New York Times, A Matter of Degrees, Evergreen Action, Sierra Club, and Politico Energy. 

One particularly important priority is getting the Department of Energy (DOE) to determine that liquefied “natural” gas (LNG) exports are not in the public interest and quickly deny pending applications. 

A little context: LNG export terminals are big facilities that cool methane gas into a liquid and load it onto ships for export to Europe and Asia. They’re mostly located in Black, Latino, and low-income communities along the coastline of Texas and Louisiana, and are terribly polluting. If DOE makes their determination and rejects pending permits, it would make a meaningful impact on long-term emissions and on public health & environmental justice.  For more on this priority, check out this explainer from Evergreen Action. 

Here’s how climate advocates can contribute: 

Dedicated public servants in federal agencies have been and will be working overtime until January 20th to lock in climate progress. P.S. If you know any personally, consider sending them an encouraging text. 😌

As climate advocates, we need to be savvy about how we help. We don’t want to flood agency staff inboxes when they need to stay laser-focused on the task at hand. We also don’t want to be too public about our priorities, lest we put them at the top of the next administration’s “repeal” list. 

Instead, our role is to elevate climate progress as a priority. We want to demonstrate that regular, climate-concerned people are engaged. We are watching closely and eager to see progress. We can also elevate a few specific priorities – like action on LNG exports – where a strong showing of public support could actually help tip the scales. 

Remember, governing is all about prioritization, and the squeaky wheel gets the grease. We want to elevate key priorities within climate, and we want to elevate climate among the many other priorities during this transition. 

Ready to roll up your sleeves and do something about it? Locking in U.S. Climate Progress is Climate Changemakers’ final Action Plan of 2024! Right now, add an Hour of Action to your calendar: Kick off your week at the Monday Hour of Action, close out your week at the Friday Hour of Action, or find a local Climate Changemakers Action Team in your city!