Summary: Wednesday marks the one-year anniversary of the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the largest single investment in climate solutions and clean energy in U.S. history. The following comments from Duke University experts are available for use in your coverage.
Jackson Ewing
“One year on, the success of the IRA — particularly for energy and climate goals — hinges on two things: effective, coordinated implementation by regulators and policy prioritization,” says Jackson Ewing, director of energy and climate policy at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability.
“Regulators must ensure that the complex provisions of the IRA don’t mire developers in uncertainty and high transaction costs when seeking its benefits.”
“U.S. leadership needs to make choices about what to prioritize now, what to pursue concurrently and what to slow-pedal until the time is right. Building new domestic supply chains and industrial bases can complement the energy transition, but tradeoffs exist concerning how much to focus on domestic production versus rapid economy-wide decarbonization. Getting the balance and sequencing right is vital.”
Bio:
Jackson Ewing is director of energy and climate policy at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University and an adjunct associate professor at the Nicholas School of the Environment. Ewing leads Energy Pathways USA, a program convened by the Nicholas Institute to accelerate progress toward net-zero carbon emissions in the U.S. economy through collaboration with public- and private-sector partners.
For additional comments, contact Jackson Ewing at:
jackson.ewing@duke.edu
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Kay Jowers
“The Inflation Reduction Act, in combination with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, has the potential to improve the lives of Americans across the country, but it is important to ensure that the benefits of this investment are equitably distributed,” says Kay Jowers, director of Duke University’s Just Environments. “Without careful planning and oversight, there is a risk that the benefits of these federal programs will flow disproportionately to wealthy communities and individuals, leaving behind those who are already most marginalized.”
“We need to employ the right lessons from the distribution of funds under the American Rescue Plan, another well-intentioned effort that some communities could not access — or could not access quickly enough — during the COVID-19 pandemic because of overly technical and burdensome requirements.”
“The White House has worked to create tools to drive investment to those areas most in need, but we’re just beginning to see the process play out this summer. So whether this commitment to justice and equity is realized remains to be seen.”
Bio:
Kay Jowers is director for Duke University’s Just Environments at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability and the Kenan Institute for Ethics. Jowers’ work focuses on analyzing policy approaches to addressing environmental, energy and climate justice issues.
For additional comments, contact Kay Jowers at:
kay.jowers@duke.edu
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Media Contact:
Jeremy Ashton
jeremy.ashton@duke.edu
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