Commission on Accelerating Climate Action
Climate change and its associated devastating impacts are upon us. This Academy project seeks to answer two questions: What policies would most effectively and equitably remove barriers to climate action? and How can the United States accelerate climate mitigation and adaptation strategies for all Americans?
The scientific consensus is clear: the impact of climate change will be devastating and increasingly difficult to mitigate and adapt to even if we act now.
With such strong scientific evidence from the international scientific community, what has prevented the United States from taking decisive action to mitigate and adapt to climate change? Why are critical mitigation efforts often stalled, and how can energy transitions be more rapidly made? How can adaptation strategies be designed to reduce vulnerability for all and ensure that communities that are most affected, including communities of color and low-income groups, overcome barriers to action? How can the U.S. accelerate positive trends on climate action and work to reach zero emissions by the middle of the 21st century?
This Commission - launched in 2021 - worked to answer these questions and identify solutions that accelerate progress on energy transitions and climate change action across sectors throughout the United States.
The Commission presented its final report in October 2023, with Forging Climate Solutions: How to Accelerate Action Across America.
The Commission's strategies, recommendations, and case studies are now online.
