Full Title: State Efforts To Decarbonize Key Industrial Sectors
Author(s): Jamie Friedman, Mike Williams, and Reema Bzeih
Publisher(s): Center for American Progress
Publication Date: November 14, 2024
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
The materials at the bedrock of the United States’ infrastructure and economy—such as cement, iron, and steel—contribute significantly to today’s climate crisis. The industrial sector accounts for nearly one-third of annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States, and the manufacturing of construction materials and products is responsible for 15 percent of global GHG emissions annually. Industrial facilities also emit criteria air pollutants and toxic air pollutants that present health risks for communities in the surrounding area. Rooted in the legacy of redlining, communities of color are disproportionately burdened by pollution from industrial facilities. After years of inaction, federal focus finally began to shift to industrial decarbonization through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), yet industrial subsector emissions are still either increasing or staying flat. By 2035, the industrial sector is expected to be the highest-emitting sector of GHGs in the United States, overtaking both transportation and power. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, safeguard public health, and ensure high-quality manufacturing jobs, immediate action is needed across all levels of government. Federal inaction or reversals on climate and clean energy make it especially important for states to take the lead.