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Climate Bill to Meet Ambitious Emissions Goal to Combat Climate Change
August 18, 2022
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which was signed into law this week, will set the framework for how the United States will tackle climate change and make the country a global climate leader.
The bill is meant to promote a transition to a renewable energy economy and significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions by the end of this decade. It’s being called a landmark bill that will fight the detrimental effects of climate change.
News: Climate Bill to Meet Ambitious Emissions Goal
The Senate and House of Representatives passed a $369 billion bill, called the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, providing the most climate funding in United States history. The bill, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden this week, ensures that carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. will fall by 40 percent by 2030, compared to levels in 2005, when emissions peaked.
The 755-page bill includes several climate provisions, all in an effort to reduce  CO2 emissions. The key provisions include:
- Tax credits for switching to clean energy sources, such as electric vehicles and solar panels
- Cash incentives(up to $7,500) for purchasing a used or new electric vehicle
- Lower costs for renewable power
- Subsidies for wind farms and solar panels
- Incentives for companies that reduce CO2 emissions
- Investment in technologies that remove CO2 from the atmosphere
- Loans for private companies to advance clean energy programs
In addition, $60 billion will be given to cities that are disproportionately affected by climate change and “climate resiliency funding” provided for Native American communities.
What It Means
The purpose of the climate measures in the bill is to speed up the transition to renewable energy sources, increase cleaner production, lower energy costs and significantly reduce carbon emissions.
Putting the politics surrounding this bill and its passing aside, this is the largest climate investment in U.S. history and can play a major role in fighting climate change.
The bill will also serve as a symbol of America’s commitment to combating climate change and hopefully convince other countries that this energy transition is not only possible, but necessary.
How This Could Benefit Health
Considering the UN 2022 Climate Report indicated that the planet will be uninhabitable if world governments don’t reassess their energy policies, the climate measures taken in this bill are a giant step in the right direction.
The reduction of carbon emissions and helping lower the Earth’s temperature will help alleviate the many health effects of climate change.
Right now, the vast majority of people are breathing unhealthy levels of air pollution, largely resulting from burning fossil fuels. This air pollution physically impacts the respiratory and immune systems. It can lead to CODP, lung infections, asthma outbreaks, heart disease and vector-borne disease.
The effects of climate change on children are even more concerning. Exposure to air pollution not only impacts body systems, but can cause DNA damage, limit their ability to detox toxins properly and increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies.
When it comes to the foods we eat, greenhouse emissions reduce plant quality, change the composition of plant parts, reduce the nutrient profile in foods and promote the spread of invasive species, like poison ivy.
This bill helps tackle some of these issues and could even push more companies and the agriculture industry as a whole toward regenerative agriculture to benefit both humankind and the planet.
Conclusion
- A $369 billion bill, called the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, was signed into law in the U.S., providing the most climate funding in United States history.
- The bill includes measures that aim to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. by 40 percent by 2030, compared to levels in 2005.
- Some of the key provisions in the bill include tax credits for making clean energy home renovations and purchasing electric vehicles, subsidies for wind farms and solar panels, incentives for companies that reduce CO2 emissions, and investment in technologies that remove CO2 from the atmosphere
