Senate bill can reduce climate pollution through “race to the top”

(Washington, D.C. – June 9, 2022) New legislation from U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) aims to reduce climate pollution while strengthening competitiveness of clean U.S. manufacturing through new incentives.   

“Manufacturing accounts for nearly one-quarter of U.S. climate pollution and is a rapidly growing sector globally. Reducing its pollution is vital for a stable climate and healthy, thriving communities. The Clean Competition Bill and similar measures can create a race to the top among competitors as part of a larger effort to move toward a low-carbon economy,” said Elizabeth Gore, Senior Vice President at Environmental Defense Fund.

“U.S. manufacturers should be able to compete in global markets on terms that give them a fair chance – and should be rewarded if they emit less pollution than their foreign counterparts. We believe that the proposed carbon border adjustment will boost U.S. competitiveness while creating incentives for cleaner manufacturing at home and abroad.”

“We see the bill creating an opportunity for prioritizing investment into the communities that bear the brunt of legacy pollution and climate change but have been left behind in our current economy. Moving forward, we urge policymakers to adhere to the Biden Administration’s Justice40 goals of ensuring that at least 40 percent of the benefits go to these communities. Any environmental policy should center community-based and environmental justice organizations because they are closest to the problems and best equipped to lead in designing the solutions.

“We also recognize that the least developed countries bear little responsibility for global climate change but experience the greatest harms from damages they can’t prevent. Any border adjustment should reflect this reality and prevent any additional harm to these countries.”