What Are the Solutions to Climate Change?

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<div class="l-page__title"> <h1 class="c-page-title"> What Are the Solutions to Climate Change? </h1> <div dir="ltr" lang="en"> <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__subtitle"> <div class="c-subtitle"><p>Some solutions are big and will require billions in investment. Some are small and free. All are achievable.</p></div> </div> <div class="l-page__details"> <div class="l-page__inline-detail"> <div class="c-date"> <time datetime="2022-12-13T12:00:00Z">December 13, 2022</time> </div> </div><div class="l-page__inline-detail"> <nav class="c-languages" aria-label="Switch language"> <ul class="c-languages__list"> <li hreflang="es" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/58660" class="c-languages__item"><a href="/es/stories/cuales-son-soluciones-cambio-climatico" class="language-link" hreflang="es" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/58660"><svg class="c-icon c-icon--link is-spaced-after" role="img" aria-hidden="true"><use xlink:href="/themes/nrdc_theme/dist/images/sprite.artifact.svg#translation"></use></svg>Español</a></li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__content"> <div class="l-constrain"> <div class="l-page__main"> <figure class="c-figure"> <div class="c-figure__media"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_25/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-b2bb7b-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=i_SzSi_4 192w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_50/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-b2bb7b-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=emjXdx83 384w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_75/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-b2bb7b-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=Q-az4K7I 576w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-b2bb7b-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=pRL1GD8F 768w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_150/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-b2bb7b-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=JsZQBtvW 1152w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_200/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-b2bb7b-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=fM5Y4xaw 1360w" sizes="min(calc(100vw - 2.22222rem), 768px)" width="576" height="324" src="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-b2bb7b-2400.jpg.jpg?h=c3635fa2&itok=pRL1GD8F" alt="A woman holds a lantern that is connected by a wire to a small solar panel held by a man to her left." /> </div> <figcaption class="c-figure__caption"><div class="c-figure__caption-text"><p>Bundei Hidreka (left), a member of the Orissa Tribal Women's Barefoot Solar Engineers Association, holds up a solar lantern in Tinginaput, India.</p></div><div class="c-figure__caption-credit"> <span class="u-visually-hidden">Credit: </span><p>Abbie Trayler-Smith/DFID, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0</p></div></figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="l-page__metadata"> <div class="c-article__authors"> <div data-history-node-id="18580" class="c-profile is-link"> <a class="c-profile__link" href="/bio/jeff-turrentine"> <div class="c-profile__photo"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/profile_100/public/2023-05/jeff-turrentine-9029.jpg.webp?h=b13ea8c4&itok=JdsZa3q1 48w, /sites/default/files/styles/profile_200/public/2023-05/jeff-turrentine-9029.jpg.webp?h=b13ea8c4&itok=4bCT-bkO 96w" sizes="min(calc(100vw - 2.22222rem), 48px)" width="96" height="96" src="/sites/default/files/styles/profile_100/public/2023-05/jeff-turrentine-9029.jpg.jpg?h=b13ea8c4&itok=JdsZa3q1" alt="A headshot of Jeff Turrentine" /> </div> <div class="c-profile__content"> <div class="c-profile__name">Jeff Turrentine </div> <div class="c-profile__title">Contributor</div> </div> </a></div> </div> <div id="block-sharethispageblock" class="c-social-share js-share"> <div class="c-social-share__label">Share this page</div> <ul class="c-social-share__list"> <li class="c-social-share__item"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A//www.nrdc.org/stories/what-are-solutions-climate-change" aria-label="Share on Facebook" class="c-social-share__link"> <svg class="c-icon c-icon--social-share" role="img" aria-hidden="true"><title>Share this page block</title><use href="/themes/nrdc_theme/dist/images/sprite.artifact.svg#circle-facebook"></use></svg> </a> </li> <li class="c-social-share__item"> <a href="https://www.twitter.com/share?url=https%3A//www.nrdc.org/stories/what-are-solutions-climate-change" aria-label="Share on Twitter" class="c-social-share__link"> <svg class="c-icon c-icon--social-share" role="img" aria-hidden="true"><title>Share this page block</title><use href="/themes/nrdc_theme/dist/images/sprite.artifact.svg#circle-twitter"></use></svg> </a> </li> <li class="c-social-share__item"> <button class="c-social-share__link js-copy-link" aria-label="Copy link" type="button"> <svg class="c-icon c-icon--social-share" role="img" aria-hidden="true"><title>Share this page block</title><use href="/themes/nrdc_theme/dist/images/sprite.artifact.svg#circle-link"></use></svg> </button> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <p>Thinking about climate change can be overwhelming. We’ve been aware of its causes for decades now, and all around us, we bear witness to its devastating effects on our communities and ecosystems.</p> <p>But the good news is that we now know exactly what it will take to win the fight against climate change, and we’re making measurable, meaningful progress. Game-changing developments in clean energy, electric vehicle technology, and energy efficiency are emerging every single day. And countries—including <a href="/canada" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2be37e28-b984-4de3-8440-96e17c2d45c0" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Canada">Canada</a>, <a href="/china" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="4735a419-4c56-439e-af36-84ffef73e460" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="China">China</a>, <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/india">India</a>, and <a href="/resources/inflation-reduction-act-big-step-toward-climate-safe-future" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="abe5b0cc-017f-4dfe-a787-c4cf945fd32f" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Inflation Reduction Act: A Big Step Toward a Climate-Safe Future">the United States</a>—are coordinating and cooperating at levels never seen before in order to tackle the most pressing issue of our time.</p> <p>The bottom line: If the <a href="/stories/what-are-causes-climate-change" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ff4b5da8-fa68-494a-a766-e4eb2464c0f2" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="What Are the Causes of Climate Change?">causes</a> and <a href="/stories/what-are-effects-climate-change" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="a54eef7e-e275-4d0a-89a2-9fd8d48fadbc" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="What Are the Effects of Climate Change? ">effects</a> of our climate crisis are clearer than ever, so are the solutions.</p> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__full-width"> <div class="c-table-of-contents u-clearfix" data-table-of-contents> <div class="c-table-of-contents__sidebar" data-table-of-contents-sidebar> <ul class="c-table-of-contents__menu" id="table-of-contents--menu" data-table-of-contents-menu> <li class="c-table-of-contents__menu-item"> <a class="c-table-of-contents__menu-link" href="#fossil-fuels" data-table-of-contents-link>Ending our reliance on fossil fuels</a> </li> <li class="c-table-of-contents__menu-item"> <a class="c-table-of-contents__menu-link" href="#efficiency" data-table-of-contents-link>Greater energy efficiency</a> </li> <li class="c-table-of-contents__menu-item"> <a class="c-table-of-contents__menu-link" href="#renewable-energy" data-table-of-contents-link>Renewable energy</a> </li> <li class="c-table-of-contents__menu-item"> <a class="c-table-of-contents__menu-link" href="#transportation" data-table-of-contents-link>Sustainable transportation</a> </li> <li class="c-table-of-contents__menu-item"> <a class="c-table-of-contents__menu-link" href="#buildings" data-table-of-contents-link>Sustainable buildings</a> </li> <li class="c-table-of-contents__menu-item"> <a class="c-table-of-contents__menu-link" href="#agriculture" data-table-of-contents-link>Better forestry management and sustainable agriculture</a> </li> <li class="c-table-of-contents__menu-item"> <a class="c-table-of-contents__menu-link" href="#conservation" data-table-of-contents-link>Conservation-based solutions</a> </li> <li class="c-table-of-contents__menu-item"> <a class="c-table-of-contents__menu-link" href="#industrial" data-table-of-contents-link>Industrial solutions</a> </li> <li class="c-table-of-contents__menu-item"> <a class="c-table-of-contents__menu-link" href="#technological" data-table-of-contents-link>Technological solutions</a> </li> <li class="c-table-of-contents__menu-item"> <a class="c-table-of-contents__menu-link" href="#choices" data-table-of-contents-link>Our choices</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="c-table-of-contents__section u-clearfix" id="fossil-fuels" data-table-of-contents-section> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg"> <h2>Ending our reliance on fossil fuels</h2> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <p>The single-most important thing that we can do to combat climate change is to drastically reduce our consumption of <a href="/stories/fossil-fuels-dirty-facts" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="67abd92e-093f-4117-94de-544fef95d5df" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Fossil Fuels: The Dirty Facts">fossil fuels</a>. The burning of coal, oil, and <a href="/stories/natural-gas-101" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ea2ed35f-19fa-4e57-aaa5-b643c2ef85d8" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Natural Gas 101">natural gas</a> in our buildings, industrial processes, and transportation is responsible for the vast majority of emissions that are <a href="/stories/global-warming-101" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="cae351df-656f-4d0f-bc23-92e860ebe4e0" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Global Warming 101">warming the planet</a>—more than 75 percent, according to the United Nations. In addition to <a href="/stories/what-are-causes-climate-change" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ff4b5da8-fa68-494a-a766-e4eb2464c0f2" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="What Are the Causes of Climate Change?">altering the climate</a>, dirty energy also comes with unacceptable ecological and human health impacts.</p> <p>We must replace coal, oil, and gas with renewable and efficient energy sources. Thankfully, with each passing year, <a href="/stories/renewable-energy-clean-facts" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d8c32fc8-da67-44ad-af58-4d9509c3799c" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Renewable Energy: The Clean Facts ">clean energy</a> is making gains as technology improves and production costs go down. But according to the <span>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's </span><em><span>Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C</span></em><span>, </span>in order to meet the goal of reducing global carbon emissions by at least 45 percent below 2010 levels before 2030—which scientists tell us <a href="/stories/ipcc-climate-change-reports-why-they-matter-everyone-planet" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="11fe7ccc-5142-4ef0-9d7c-fff3c3b915fe" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="IPCC Climate Change Reports: Why They Matter to Everyone on the Planet">we must do</a> if we’re to avoid the worst, deadliest impacts of climate change—we must act faster.</p> <p>There are promising signs. Wind and solar continue to account for ever-larger shares of electricity generation. In 2021, wind and solar generated a record <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/04/wind-solar-electricity-global-energy/">10 percent</a> of electricity worldwide. And modeling by NRDC has found that wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear could account for as much as 80 percent of U.S. electricity <a href="/bio/derek-murrow/80-clean-power-2030-achievable-massive-benefits" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="6269acc8-f417-4484-94bf-36239ee3a8c3" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="80% Clean Power by 2030: Achievable with Massive Benefits">by the end of this decade</a>. (We can also fully realize our clean energy potential if we invest in repairing our <a href="/stories/how-energy-grid-works-well-most-time" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="f023742c-1194-49a4-8d05-fa92980c2e9d" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="How the Energy Grid Works (Well, Most of the Time)">aging grid infrastructure</a> and installing new transmission lines.) While this transformation is taking place, automakers—as well as governments—are preparing for a future when the majority of vehicles on the road will produce zero emissions.</p> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <figure class="c-figure"> <div class="c-figure__media"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_25/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-400737-2400.jpg.webp?itok=TP-YUlyr 192w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_50/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-400737-2400.jpg.webp?itok=bkgv1GQh 384w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_75/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-400737-2400.jpg.webp?itok=Vps-_T2T 576w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-400737-2400.jpg.webp?itok=UPJ9Xwbr 768w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_150/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-400737-2400.jpg.webp?itok=_JbkAW4t 1152w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_200/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-400737-2400.jpg.webp?itok=Ghbxzn4c 1360w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) min(calc((100vw - 4.44444rem) / 2), 768px), (min-width: 808px) max(calc((100vw - 2.22222rem) / 2), 29rem), calc(100vw - 2.22222rem)" width="576" height="384" src="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-400737-2400.jpg.jpg?itok=UPJ9Xwbr" alt="A man stands on a green lawn in front of a white house, spraying water from a hose onto a metal panel on the grass in front of him." /> </div> <figcaption class="c-figure__caption"><div class="c-figure__caption-text"><p>Technicians from Solaris Energy carry out the first-annual servicing and cleaning on a heat pump that was installed into a house originally built in the 1930s, in Folkestone, United Kingdom.</p></div><div class="c-figure__caption-credit"> <span class="u-visually-hidden">Credit: </span><p>Andrew Aitchison / In pictures via Getty Images</p></div></figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="c-table-of-contents__section u-clearfix" id="efficiency" data-table-of-contents-section> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg"> <h2>Greater energy efficiency</h2> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <p><a href="/stories/energy-efficiency-clean-facts" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="50a5a6f4-e8f1-4256-a01c-2cf7231eb570" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Energy Efficiency: The Clean Facts ">Energy efficiency</a> has been referred to as “the first fuel”; after all, the more energy efficient our systems are, the less <em>actual</em> fuel we have to consume, whether rooftop solar energy or gas power. Considered this way, efficiency is our largest energy resource. As the technology harnessing it has advanced over the past 40 years, efficiency has contributed more to the United States’s energy needs than oil, coal, gas, or nuclear power.</p> <p>What’s more, energy efficiency strategies can be applied across multiple sectors: in our power plants, electrical grids, factories, vehicles, buildings, home appliances, and more. Some of these climate-friendly strategies can be enormously complex, such as<a href="/resources/gas-and-electric-decoupling" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0bdcd940-ca9b-4401-934d-7ce18b178894" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Gas and Electric Decoupling"> helping utility companies adopt </a><a href="/stories/how-energy-grid-works-well-most-time" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="f023742c-1194-49a4-8d05-fa92980c2e9d" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="How the Energy Grid Works (Well, Most of the Time)">performance-based regulation systems</a>, in which they no longer make more money simply by selling more energy but rather by improving the services they provide. Other strategies are extraordinarily simple. For example, weatherproofing buildings, installing <a href="/bio/anjali-jaiswal/cool-roofs-community-led-initiatives-four-indian-cities" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="15d8215c-62b6-488e-8845-c873a983f0f0" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Cool Roofs: Community-Led Initiatives in Four Indian Cities">cool roofs</a>, replacing boilers and air conditioners with <a href="/stories/what-are-heat-pump-air-conditioners" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7cd46429-148e-4085-8006-1b0f1645897e" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="What Are Heat Pump Air Conditioners?">super-efficient heat pumps</a>, and yes, <a href="/stories/how-shop-energy-efficient-light-bulbs" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="9110f1b2-7597-4c2b-a43e-20e058aaa07e" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="How to Shop for Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs">switching out light bulbs</a> from incandescent to LED can all make a big dent in our energy consumption.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="c-table-of-contents__section u-clearfix" id="renewable-energy" data-table-of-contents-section> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg"> <h2>Renewable energy</h2> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <p>Transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy is the key to winning the fight against climate change. Here are the most common sources of <a href="/stories/renewable-energy-clean-facts" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d8c32fc8-da67-44ad-af58-4d9509c3799c" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Renewable Energy: The Clean Facts ">renewable energy</a>—and one source of decidedly nonrenewable energy that often gets included (falsely) in the list.</p> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <figure class="c-figure"> <div class="c-figure__media"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_25/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-3773058534-2400.jpg.webp?itok=ZkIjZHaX 192w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_50/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-3773058534-2400.jpg.webp?itok=-nmEhJ0u 384w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_75/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-3773058534-2400.jpg.webp?itok=Refd2RIg 576w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-3773058534-2400.jpg.webp?itok=mmYgcwwW 768w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_150/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-3773058534-2400.jpg.webp?itok=QkwGwHnd 1152w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_200/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-3773058534-2400.jpg.webp?itok=Pw5KVRUt 1360w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) min(calc((100vw - 4.44444rem) / 2), 768px), (min-width: 808px) max(calc((100vw - 2.22222rem) / 2), 29rem), calc(100vw - 2.22222rem)" width="576" height="384" src="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-3773058534-2400.jpg.jpg?itok=mmYgcwwW" alt="A worker in a hard hat stands in front of a building with rooftop solar panels." /> </div> <figcaption class="c-figure__caption"><div class="c-figure__caption-text"><p>Engineer Steve Marchi and his team perform a final review of rooftop solar panels as part of the solar expansion project at the Wayne National Forest Welcome Center, in Ohio.</p></div><div class="c-figure__caption-credit"> <span class="u-visually-hidden">Credit: </span><p>Alex Snyder/Wayne National Forest</p></div></figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <h3 class="h5">Solar energy</h3> <p><a href="https://www.nrdc.org/stories/solar-power-101">Solar energy</a> is produced when light from the sun is absorbed by photovoltaic cells and turned directly into electricity. The solar panels that you may have seen on rooftops or at ground level are made up of many of these cells working together. By 2030, at least <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-energy-united-states">one in seven</a> U.S. homes is projected to have rooftop solar panels, which emit no greenhouse gases or other pollutants, and which generate electricity year-round (in hot or cold weather) so long as the sun is shining. Solar energy currently accounts for just under <a href="https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=427&t=3">3 percent</a> of the electricity generated in the United States—enough to power <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-energy-united-states">18 million homes</a>—but is growing at a faster rate than any other source. By 2035, it could account for <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-futures-study">as much as 40 percent</a> of electricity generation. From 2020 through 2026, solar will account for <a href="https://www.iea.org/news/renewable-electricity-growth-is-accelerating-faster-than-ever-worldwide-supporting-the-emergence-of-the-new-global-energy-economy">more than half</a> of new electricity generation worldwide.</p> <p>What to do when the sun doesn’t shine, you might ask. Alongside the boom in solar has been a surge in companion battery storage: More than <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=53199">93 percent</a> of U.S. battery capacity added in 2021 was paired with solar power plants. Battery storage is key to the clean energy revolution—and adapting to a warming world. Not only are batteries important at night when the sun isn’t out, but on hot days when homes draw a lot of electricity to power air conditioners, <a href="/bio/john-moore/solar-helps-keep-acs-humming-texas" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="4994f76f-5043-41f7-a1f6-3447d850fc02" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Solar Helps Keep the ACs Humming in Texas">battery storage can help manage</a> the energy demand and control the threat of power failures.</p> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <figure class="c-figure"> <div class="c-figure__media"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_25/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-40481-2400.jpg.webp?itok=AFbXxhLy 192w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_50/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-40481-2400.jpg.webp?itok=FPrIJJtj 384w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_75/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-40481-2400.jpg.webp?itok=h8iHyYWM 576w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-40481-2400.jpg.webp?itok=sPtPnChY 768w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_150/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-40481-2400.jpg.webp?itok=MO3GSoKV 1152w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_200/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-40481-2400.jpg.webp?itok=UlzYOw_h 1360w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) min(calc((100vw - 4.44444rem) / 2), 768px), (min-width: 808px) max(calc((100vw - 2.22222rem) / 2), 29rem), calc(100vw - 2.22222rem)" width="576" height="384" src="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-40481-2400.jpg.jpg?itok=sPtPnChY" alt="Three wind turbines stand in rough seas with a wave cresting in front of them." /> </div> <figcaption class="c-figure__caption"><div class="c-figure__caption-text"><p>Turbines on Block Island Wind Farm, located 3.8 miles from Block Island, Rhode Island, in the Atlantic Ocean</p></div><div class="c-figure__caption-credit"> <span class="u-visually-hidden">Credit: </span><p>Dennis Schroeder/NREL, 40481</p></div></figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <h3 class="h5">Wind energy</h3> <p>Unlike solar panels, which convert the sun’s energy directly into electricity, wind turbines produce electricity more conventionally: wind turns the blades of a turbine, which spin a generator. Currently, wind accounts for just above <a href="https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/wind/electricity-generation-from-wind.php">9 percent</a> of U.S. electricity generation, but it, like solar, is growing fast as more states and utilities come to recognize its ability to produce 100 percent clean energy at a remarkably low cost. Unsurprisingly, states with plenty of wide-open space—including <a href="/stories/catalyst-midwests-clean-energy-transition" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2f46c47a-21a6-4806-a38a-ab19eac7e33a" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="A Catalyst for the Midwest’s Clean Energy Transition">Kansas</a>, <a href="https://electrek.co/2022/03/24/the-single-largest-wind-farm-in-north-america-comes-online-in-oklahoma/">Oklahoma</a>, and <a href="/bio/christy-walsh/solving-problems-not-pointing-fingers-texas" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2eae4b7c-efe0-40d3-ad87-681785ceed33" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Solving Problems—Not Pointing Fingers—in Texas">Texas</a>—have huge capacity when it comes to wind power, but many analysts believe that some of the greatest potential for <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/stories/wind-energy">wind energy</a> exists just off our coasts. <a href="/bio/nathanael-greene/2021-its-races-offshore-wind" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c3fb845f-1e5a-427a-919b-009c2fdfc926" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="In 2021 It's Off to the Races for Offshore Wind">Offshore wind</a> even tends to ramp up in the evenings when home electricity use jumps, and it can produce energy during the rainy and cloudy times when solar energy is less available. <a href="/bio/alison-chase/building-smart-offshore-wind-power" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="495cebe6-cbb4-4ec0-990f-30a9ba6b0995" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Building Smart Offshore Wind Power">Smart planning and protective measures</a>, meanwhile, can ensure we harness the massive promise of offshore wind while limiting or eliminating potential impacts on wildlife.</p> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <figure class="c-figure"> <div class="c-figure__media"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_25/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-20734791-2400.jpg.webp?itok=8LwmHBq7 192w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_50/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-20734791-2400.jpg.webp?itok=M6TXaY3j 384w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_75/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-20734791-2400.jpg.webp?itok=3UYzviRf 576w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-20734791-2400.jpg.webp?itok=txus3YJd 768w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_150/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-20734791-2400.jpg.webp?itok=_SYvqpKR 1152w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_200/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-20734791-2400.jpg.webp?itok=WqG3eHjy 1360w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) min(calc((100vw - 4.44444rem) / 2), 768px), (min-width: 808px) max(calc((100vw - 2.22222rem) / 2), 29rem), calc(100vw - 2.22222rem)" width="576" height="384" src="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-20734791-2400.jpg.jpg?itok=txus3YJd" alt="Steam rises off blue water in front of a power plant with four stacks" /> </div> <figcaption class="c-figure__caption"><div class="c-figure__caption-text"><p>Svartsengi geothermal power plant in Iceland</p></div><div class="c-figure__caption-credit"> <span class="u-visually-hidden">Credit: </span><p>Daniel Snaer Ragnarsson/iStock</p></div></figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <h3 class="h5">Geothermal and hydroelectric energy</h3> <p>Along with sunlight and wind, water—under certain conditions—can also be a source of renewable energy. For instance, geothermal energy works by drilling deep underground and pumping extremely hot water up to the earth’s surface, where it is then converted to steam that, once pressurized, spins a generator to create electricity. Hydroelectric energy uses gravity to “pull” water downward through a pipe at high speeds and pressures; the force of this moving water is used to spin a generator’s rotor.</p> <p>Humans have been harnessing heat energy from below the earth’s surface for eons—just think of the hot springs that provided warmth for the people of ancient Rome. Today’s geothermal plants are considered clean and renewable so long as the water and steam they bring up to the surface is redeposited underground after use. Proper siting of geothermal projects is also important, as recent science has linked some innovative approaches to geothermal to an increased risk of earthquakes.</p> <p>Hydroelectric plants, when small-scale and carefully managed, represent a safe and renewable source of energy. Larger plants known as mega-dams, however, are <a href="/resources/protect-chiles-patagonia-clean-energy-alternatives-mega-dams" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="3310e216-677f-4e5c-862f-a1db69b7ea48" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Protect Chile’s Patagonia with Clean Energy Alternatives to Mega Dams">highly problematic</a>. Their massive footprint can disrupt the rivers on which <a href="/stories/saving-salmon-one-generation-fisherwomen-next" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="3f4bd409-4df4-4ee7-bfc4-823e7eab1c8c" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Saving Salmon—from One Generation of Fisherwomen to the Next">people and wildlife depend</a>.</p> <h3 class="h5">Biomass energy</h3> <p>With very few exceptions, generating electricity through the burning of organic material like wood (sourced largely from <a href="/stories/no-burning-wood-fuels-not-climate-friendly" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="3a193a0c-af9f-4a1d-8c6d-61b6f3584ef7" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="No, Burning Wood Fuels Is Not Climate-Friendly ">pine and hardwood forests</a> in the United States), agricultural products, or animal waste—collectively referred to as <a href="/stories/biomass-101" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2eb72a61-6fb1-4f1b-88f9-fe0c91fb6e9f" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Biomass 101">biomass</a>—does little to reduce carbon emissions, and in fact, does far more environmental harm than good. Unfortunately, despite numerous <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/bioenergy-modelling-IB.pdf">studies</a> that have revealed the true toll of this form of <a href="/stories/bioenergy-101" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="228cbec3-8f1d-48bb-b8fb-6888b125e69d" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Bioenergy 101">bioenergy</a>, some <a href="/bio/elly-pepper/uk-plans-increase-biomass-energy-are-super-risky" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="bf18cb4b-5232-4082-b476-5fd5479a11ff" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="UK Plans to Increase Biomass Energy Are SUPER Risky ">countries</a> continue to buy the biomass industry’s false narrative and subsidize these projects. <a href="/resources/our-forests-arent-fuel" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="bb009165-ff28-4891-a185-92c62ae28a1b" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Our Forests Aren't Fuel">Attitudes are changing</a> but, given the recent wood pellet boom, there is a lot more work to be done.</p> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <figure class="c-figure"> <div class="c-figure__media"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_25/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-accchi-0062-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=_GebfYTk 192w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_50/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-accchi-0062-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=puRvclrF 384w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_75/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-accchi-0062-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=WYzKginJ 576w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-accchi-0062-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=5decSQnq 768w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_150/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-accchi-0062-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=hcjlBRbs 1152w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_200/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-accchi-0062-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=A9qto4wa 1360w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) min(calc((100vw - 4.44444rem) / 2), 768px), (min-width: 808px) max(calc((100vw - 2.22222rem) / 2), 29rem), calc(100vw - 2.22222rem)" width="576" height="432" src="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-accchi-0062-2400.jpg.jpg?h=c3635fa2&itok=5decSQnq" alt="A bus drives down a city street with high rise buildings in the background" /> </div> <figcaption class="c-figure__caption"><div class="c-figure__caption-text"><p>A new electric bus on King Street in Honolulu, on June 16, 2021</p></div><div class="c-figure__caption-credit"> <span class="u-visually-hidden">Credit: </span><p>Marco Garcia for NRDC</p></div></figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="c-table-of-contents__section u-clearfix" id="transportation" data-table-of-contents-section> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg"> <h2>Sustainable transportation</h2> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <p>Transportation is a top source of greenhouse gases (GHG), so eliminating pollution from the billions of vehicles driving across the planet is essential to achieving net-zero global emissions by 2050, a goal laid out in the 2015 <a href="/stories/paris-climate-agreement-everything-you-need-know" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d55bfa78-ca27-411a-afef-8eadee22e8d1" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Paris Climate Agreement: Everything You Need to Know">Paris climate agreement</a>.</p> <p>In 2021, <a href="/stories/now-good-time-buy-electric-car" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="6776e733-1528-4cd9-900a-112bc12b7330" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Is Now a Good Time to Buy an Electric Car?">electric vehicles</a> (EVs) accounted for less than 8 percent of vehicle sales globally; <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/electric-vehicles-could-take-33-global-sales-by-2028-alixpartners-2022-06-22/#:~:text=DETROIT%2C%20June%2022%20(Reuters),the%20first%20quarter%20of%202022.">by 2035</a>, however, it’s estimated that they’ll account for more than half of all new sales. Governments around the world aren’t just anticipating an all-electric future; they’re bringing it into fruition by setting goals and binding requirements to phase out the sale of gas-powered internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. That year, 2035, is expected to mark a turning point in the adoption of EVs and in the fight against climate change as countries around the world—as well as numerous automakers—have announced goals to phase out gas-powered cars and light trucks. This shift will also benefit our grid: EVs are like a “<a href="/bio/max-baumhefner/how-electric-cars-and-trucks-improve-grid-reliability" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="08b99cac-eb28-440e-98ef-e4a439e0f054" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="How Electric Cars and Trucks Improve Grid Reliability">battery on wheels</a>” and have the potential to supply electricity back to the network when demand peaks, helping to prevent blackouts.</p> <p>It’s also critical that we consider all of the different ways we get around and <a href="/bio/mitchell-bernard/21st-century-transportation-system-drives-climate-action-and-equitable" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="e24ad7cf-9986-48e5-b10d-d5b50efd5efe" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="A 21st-Century Transportation System That Drives Climate Action and Equitable Recovery">build sustainability into each</a> of them. By increasing access to public transportation—such as buses, ride-sharing services, subways, and streetcars—as well as embracing <a href="/stories/what-is-congestion-pricing" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="1f079e77-5fac-4cdc-8f07-b9834a36a9c2" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="What Is Congestion Pricing?">congestion pricing</a>, we can cut down on car trips and keep millions of tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere every year. And by encouraging zero-emission forms of transportation, such as walking and biking, we can reduce emissions even more. Boosting these alternate forms of transportation will require more than just talk. <a href="/bio/deron-lovaas/investing-clean-just-transportation-future" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="12665b58-bbfb-4fe4-b1c6-4df0af741221" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Investing in a Clean, Just Transportation Future">They require funding</a>, planning, and the building out of supportive infrastructure by leaders across the local, state, and national levels.</p> <p>To address the full set of impacts of the transportation sector, we need holistic and community-led solutions around things like land-use policies and the way we move consumer goods. <a href="/stories/industry-surrounds-newarks-ironbound-neighborhood-these-residents-wont-let-it-define-them" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="40eb3a9c-9ed0-42e0-8e1e-3a71e118e35e" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Industry Surrounds Newark’s Ironbound Neighborhood—But These Residents Won’t Let It Define Them">Communities closest to ports</a>, truck corridors, rail yards, and warehouses are exposed to toxic diesel emissions and face a high risk of developing acute and chronic public health diseases. Like all climate solutions, long-lasting change in the transportation sector requires building the power of historically marginalized communities.</p> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <figure class="c-figure"> <div class="c-figure__media"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_25/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-5r2a0096-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=Z8TyhkaY 192w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_50/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-5r2a0096-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=__Cdntoe 384w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_75/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-5r2a0096-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=gLPy7pV6 576w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-5r2a0096-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=rAic9biG 768w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_150/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-5r2a0096-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=xjDydX4x 1152w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_200/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-5r2a0096-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=y7KNIAjB 1360w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) min(calc((100vw - 4.44444rem) / 2), 768px), (min-width: 808px) max(calc((100vw - 2.22222rem) / 2), 29rem), calc(100vw - 2.22222rem)" width="576" height="432" src="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_4x3_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-5r2a0096-2400.jpg.jpg?h=c3635fa2&itok=rAic9biG" alt="A worker stands at a window in a room with plastic sheeting hanging from the ceiling and covering furniture" /> </div> <figcaption class="c-figure__caption"><div class="c-figure__caption-text"><p>An Association for Energy Affordability (AEA) worker installs a new energy-efficient window at an apartment in the South Bronx, New York City.</p></div><div class="c-figure__caption-credit"> <span class="u-visually-hidden">Credit: </span><p>Natalie Keyssar for NRDC</p></div></figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="c-table-of-contents__section u-clearfix" id="buildings" data-table-of-contents-section> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg"> <h2>Sustainable buildings</h2> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <p>The energy used in our buildings—to keep the lights on and appliances running; to warm them and cool them; to cook and to heat water—makes them the single-largest source of carbon pollution in most cities across the United States. Making buildings more energy efficient, by upgrading windows and adding insulation to attics and walls, for example, will bring these numbers down. That’s why it’s all the more important that we raise public awareness of <a href="/stories/energy-efficient-home-makeover" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="3f246523-71d5-4063-86e0-4bf0433128b1" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="The Energy-Efficient Home Makeover">cost- and carbon-saving changes</a> that individuals can make in their homes and workplaces, and make it easier for people to purchase and install energy-efficient technology, such as <a href="/stories/what-are-heat-pump-air-conditioners" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7cd46429-148e-4085-8006-1b0f1645897e" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="What Are Heat Pump Air Conditioners?">heat pumps</a> (which can both heat <em>and</em> cool spaces) and certified appliances through programs like <a href="/stories/what-are-energyguide-and-energy-star-anyway" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="3b4d7225-2e71-4a1d-96d7-956ca84b7c2e" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="What Are “EnergyGuide” and “Energy Star” Anyway?">Energy Star</a> in the United States or EnerGuide in Canada.</p> <p>Beyond the measures that can be taken by individuals, we need to see a dedication from private businesses and governments to further <a href="/stories/why-we-must-electrify-everything-even-grid-fully-green" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c906b881-4f12-4b0f-a025-205d59a31c1a" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Decarbonization: Why We Must Electrify Everything Even Before the Grid Is Fully Green">building decarbonization</a>, which simply means making buildings more efficient and replacing fossil fuel–burning systems and appliances with clean-powered ones. Policy tools can help get us there, including city and state mandates that all newly constructed homes, offices, and other buildings be outfitted with efficient all-electric systems for heating, cooling, and hot water; requirements that municipalities and states meet the latest and most stringent energy conservation standards when adopting or updating their building codes would also be impactful. Indeed, many places <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/energy-saving-benefits-building-energy-code-gujarat-fs-20220830.pdf">around the world</a> are implementing <a href="/bio/olivia-walker/new-framework-cracking-nut-existing-buildings" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="de4a41fa-d87c-4e5e-8222-1af89af9e9a2" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="A New Framework for Cracking the Nut of Existing Buildings">building performance standards</a>, which require existing buildings to reduce their energy use or carbon emissions over time. Most important, if these changes are going to reach the scale needed, we must invest in the affordable housing sector so that efficient and decarbonized homes are <a href="/stories/defender-energy-efficiency-and-equity" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="810e39f8-fb03-4e8e-b044-932f08ac7119" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Defender of Energy Efficiency—and Equity">accessible to homeowners and renters of all incomes</a>.</p> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <figure class="c-figure"> <div class="c-figure__media"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_25/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-gp0stqmfv-2400.jpg.webp?itok=uYoUIVDt 192w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_50/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-gp0stqmfv-2400.jpg.webp?itok=v_kT1dmP 384w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_75/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-gp0stqmfv-2400.jpg.webp?itok=9DmP67Sa 576w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-gp0stqmfv-2400.jpg.webp?itok=Zm38vc27 768w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_150/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-gp0stqmfv-2400.jpg.webp?itok=916JWjiF 1152w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_200/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-gp0stqmfv-2400.jpg.webp?itok=G1SDqLRd 1360w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) min(calc((100vw - 4.44444rem) / 2), 768px), (min-width: 808px) max(calc((100vw - 2.22222rem) / 2), 29rem), calc(100vw - 2.22222rem)" width="576" height="384" src="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-gp0stqmfv-2400.jpg.jpg?itok=Zm38vc27" alt="A young man stands on a rocky shore holding a rope attached to a red canoe on the water in front of him" /> </div> <figcaption class="c-figure__caption"><div class="c-figure__caption-text"><p>Nicolas Mainville joins a canoe trip with youth from the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi on a river in Waswanipi Quebec, Canada, which is part of the boreal forest.</p></div><div class="c-figure__caption-credit"> <span class="u-visually-hidden">Credit: </span><p>Nicolas Mainville/Greenpeace</p></div></figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="c-table-of-contents__section u-clearfix" id="agriculture" data-table-of-contents-section> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg"> <h2>Better forestry management and sustainable agriculture</h2> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <p>Some of our strongest allies in the fight against climate change are the trees, plants, and soil that store massive amounts of carbon at ground level or underground. Without the aid of these <a href="/stories/stop-clearcutting-carbon-sinks" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2890362d-88c8-415d-a0f7-878b1257e738" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Want to Fight Climate Change? Stop Clearcutting Our Carbon Sinks. ">carbon sinks</a>, life on earth would be impossible, as atmospheric temperatures would rise to levels more like those found on Venus.</p> <p>But whenever we <a href="/bio/jennifer-skene/true-cost-undervaluing-our-forests" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="37b494a7-0301-48c1-8dc2-61595e457c19" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="The True Cost of Undervaluing Our Forests">clearcut forests</a> for timber or <a href="/bio/melanie-sturm/stewardship-wetlands-and-soils-has-climate-benefits" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="f6a7828f-3481-455e-ae80-4c75b32ed838" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Stewardship of Wetlands and Soils Has Climate Benefits">rip out wetlands</a> for development, we release that climate-warming carbon into the air. Similarly, the widespread overuse of <a href="/stories/back-dead-zone" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="259373b1-98a3-4cfa-93a0-85deb9d9749b" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Back from the Dead Zone">nitrogen-based fertilizers</a> (a fossil fuel product) on cropland and generations of <a href="/stories/industrial-agricultural-pollution-101" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="fdf8d59c-3903-4b74-a30f-762baabb7c6a" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Industrial Agricultural Pollution 101 ">industrial-scale livestock farming</a> practices have led to the release of unprecedented amounts of nitrous oxide and methane, powerful greenhouse gases, into our atmosphere.</p> <p>We can’t plant new trees fast enough to replace the ones we clearcut in carbon-storing forests like the <a href="/stories/canadas-boreal-forest-why-its-important" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="5d001261-45e3-4cef-b0ae-e238cbcfde74" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Canada’s Boreal Forest: Why It’s So Important">Canadian boreal</a> or the <a href="/bio/zak-smith/bold-action-needed-halt-amazon-deforestation" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="5d964490-37a1-465b-a0b7-2d65c7a9830d" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Bold Action Needed to Halt Amazon Deforestation">Amazon rainforest</a>—nor can rows of spindly young pines serve the same function as old-growth trees. We need a combination of responsible forestry policies, international pressure, and <a href="/resources/issue-tissue" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="926214d2-8191-4e58-b278-e8d2b0e2410a" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="The Issue with Tissue">changes in consumer behavior</a> to put an end to deforestation practices that not only accelerate climate change but also destroy wildlife habitat and threaten the health and culture of Indigenous communities that live sustainably in these verdant spaces. At the same time, we need to treat our managed landscapes with as much care as we treat wild ones. For instance, adopting practices associated with organic and <a href="/stories/regenerative-agriculture-101" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="50280b99-7a23-429e-9e6a-484e82a06c8a" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Regenerative Agriculture 101">regenerative agriculture</a>—cover crops, pesticide use reduction, rotational grazing, and compost instead of synthetic fertilizers—will help nurture the soil, yield healthier foods, and pay a climate dividend too.</p> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <figure class="c-figure"> <div class="c-figure__media"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_25/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-923017934-2400.jpg.webp?itok=HsP4cm8r 192w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_50/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-923017934-2400.jpg.webp?itok=SXu5QBIn 384w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_75/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-923017934-2400.jpg.webp?itok=GghbSALV 576w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-923017934-2400.jpg.webp?itok=SsAtRfv4 768w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_150/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-923017934-2400.jpg.webp?itok=FGZcBxPq 1152w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_200/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-923017934-2400.jpg.webp?itok=w_HRxcx- 1360w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) min(calc((100vw - 4.44444rem) / 2), 768px), (min-width: 808px) max(calc((100vw - 2.22222rem) / 2), 29rem), calc(100vw - 2.22222rem)" width="576" height="384" src="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-923017934-2400.jpg.jpg?itok=SsAtRfv4" alt="Many small fish swim in clear waters near a large tree with roots extending below the water's surface" /> </div> <figcaption class="c-figure__caption"><div class="c-figure__caption-text"><p>A school of fish swimming through a mangrove forest in the Caribbean Sea, off Belize</p></div><div class="c-figure__caption-credit"> <span class="u-visually-hidden">Credit: </span><p>iStock</p></div></figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="c-table-of-contents__section u-clearfix" id="conservation" data-table-of-contents-section> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg"> <h2>Conservation-based solutions</h2> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <p>Intact ecosystems suck up and store vast amounts of carbon: Coastal ecosystems like wetlands and mangroves accumulate and store carbon in their roots; our forests soak up about a third of annual fossil fuel emissions; and freshwater wetlands hold between <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms13835">20 and 30 percent</a> of all the carbon found in the world’s soil. It’s clear we’re not going to be able to address climate change if we don’t preserve nature.</p> <p>This is one reason why, along with preserving biodiversity, climate experts are calling on global leaders to fully protect and restore at least <a href="/resources/30x30-nrdcs-commitment-protect-nature-and-life-earth" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="4c75e223-c222-42a6-a8f9-8e7b415e3564" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="30x30: NRDC’s Commitment to Protect Nature and Life on Earth">30 percent of land, inland waters, and oceans by 2030</a>, a strategy endorsed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. To help us reach that goal, we must limit industrial impacts on our public lands and waters, continue to protect natural landscapes, support the creation of marine protected areas, uphold bedrock environmental laws, and follow the lead of Indigenous Peoples, many of whom have been faithfully and sustainably <a href="/stories/colorado-river-basin-tribes-address-historic-drought-and-their-water-rights-head" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d0c1abe8-17d6-4eac-8b0b-cb5eb0844155" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Colorado River Basin Tribes Address a Historic Drought—and Their Water Rights—Head-On ">stewarding lands and waters for millennia</a>.</p> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <figure class="c-figure"> <div class="c-figure__media"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_25/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-04849-2400.jpg.webp?itok=PhtZ8SMt 192w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_50/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-04849-2400.jpg.webp?itok=XbaV541R 384w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_75/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-04849-2400.jpg.webp?itok=PuLVDca8 576w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-04849-2400.jpg.webp?itok=Fi_eWFGA 768w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_150/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-04849-2400.jpg.webp?itok=xkS9aqVv 1152w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_200/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-04849-2400.jpg.webp?itok=LXGj7syu 1360w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) min(calc((100vw - 4.44444rem) / 2), 768px), (min-width: 808px) max(calc((100vw - 2.22222rem) / 2), 29rem), calc(100vw - 2.22222rem)" width="576" height="384" src="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-04849-2400.jpg.jpg?itok=Fi_eWFGA" alt="Gray and black smoke rise out of stacks on an industrial facility, with homes visible in the background." /> </div> <figcaption class="c-figure__caption"><div class="c-figure__caption-text"><p>Emissions rise from the Edgar Thomson Steel Works, a steel mill in the Braddock and North Braddock communities near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.</p></div><div class="c-figure__caption-credit"> <span class="u-visually-hidden">Credit: </span><p>Getty Images</p></div></figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="c-table-of-contents__section u-clearfix" id="industrial" data-table-of-contents-section> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg"> <h2>Industrial solutions</h2> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <p>Heavy industry—the factories and facilities that produce our goods—is responsible for a quarter of GHG emissions in the United States and 40 percent globally, according to the EPA. Most industrial emissions come from making a small set of carbon-intensive products: basic chemicals, iron and steel, cement, aluminum, glass, and paper. (Industrial plants are also often major sources of air and water pollutants that directly affect human health.)</p> <p>Complicating matters is the fact that many industrial plants will stay in operation for decades, so emissions goals for 2050 are really just one investment cycle away. Given these long horizons for building and retrofitting industrial sites, starting investments and plans <em>now</em> is critical. What would successfully decarbonized industrial processes look like? They should sharply reduce <a href="/resources/lightening-emissions-heavy-industry-reducing-co2-cement-concrete-steel-and-aluminum-can" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c80bcd38-09e7-4266-b49e-9c5ed4131668" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Lightening Emissions in Heavy Industry: Reducing CO2 in Cement, Concrete, Steel, and Aluminum Can Help Keep Us on a Path to 1.5 Degrees">heavy industry’s climate emissions</a>, as well as local pollution. They should be scalable and widely available in the next decade, especially so that less developed nations can adopt these cleaner processes and grow without increasing emissions. And they should bolster manufacturing in a way that creates good jobs.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="c-table-of-contents__section u-clearfix" id="technological" data-table-of-contents-section> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg"> <h2>Technological solutions</h2> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <p>Technology alone won’t save us from climate change (especially not some of these <a href="/stories/blotting-out-sun-save-earth-seriously" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="510f1407-8cef-432f-a5ba-7e5fcb7ea880" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Blotting Out the Sun to Save the Earth? Seriously?">risky geoengineering proposals</a>). But at the same time, we won’t be able to solve the climate crisis without researching and developing things like longer-lasting <a href="/bio/jordan-brinn/electric-vehicle-battery-supply-chains-basics" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="e32660b7-7cb7-436f-95b7-ede467677578" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Electric Vehicle Battery Supply Chains: The Basics">EV batteries</a>, nonpolluting<a href="/bio/rachel-fakhry/2022-hydrogen-beta-testing-must-ensure-climate-alignment" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d33fcee5-42d2-4088-890e-e71620d500ba" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="2022: Hydrogen Beta Testing Must Ensure Climate-Alignment"> hydrogen-based solutions</a>, and reliable, safe, and equitable methods for <a href="/bio/david-doniger/capturing-carbon-pollution-while-moving-beyond-fossil-fuels" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c3e0ec66-79d7-495f-829b-296cbaab0eaf" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Capturing Carbon Pollution While Moving Beyond Fossil Fuels">capturing and sequestering carbon</a>. Because, while these tools hold promise, we have to make sure we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past. For instance, we can take actions to reduce local harms from <a href="/stories/lithium-mining-leaving-chiles-indigenous-communities-high-and-dry-literally" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c9a642f3-4fa4-43ca-b372-87044c6929bf" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Lithium Mining Is Leaving Chile’s Indigenous Communities High and Dry (Literally)">mining lithium</a> (a critical component of electric vehicle batteries), improve recycling opportunities for solar cells, and not use carbon capture as an excuse to pollute. To accelerate research and development, funding is the critical third leg of the stool: Governments must make investing in clean energy technologies a priority and spur innovation through grants, subsidies, tax incentives, and other rewards.</p> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <figure class="c-figure"> <div class="c-figure__media"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_25/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-0028-2400.jpg.webp?itok=13qvWmHM 192w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_50/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-0028-2400.jpg.webp?itok=Uu-wOyVb 384w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_75/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-0028-2400.jpg.webp?itok=YmZbKHQK 576w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-0028-2400.jpg.webp?itok=9-VSG0Gc 768w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_150/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-0028-2400.jpg.webp?itok=cxJ3z2Ku 1152w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_200/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-0028-2400.jpg.webp?itok=RCtMepFf 1360w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) min(calc((100vw - 4.44444rem) / 2), 768px), (min-width: 808px) max(calc((100vw - 2.22222rem) / 2), 29rem), calc(100vw - 2.22222rem)" width="576" height="384" src="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-climate-solutions-0028-2400.jpg.jpg?itok=9-VSG0Gc" alt="A group of protesters hold signs in front of a large banner reading "Charmin: Stop Flushing Our Forests"" /> </div> <figcaption class="c-figure__caption"><div class="c-figure__caption-text"><p>A protester rings a bell in front of P&G’s headquarters in Cincinnati; the company’s toilet paper brand, Charmin, uses wood pulp from virgin trees in Canada's boreal forest.</p></div><div class="c-figure__caption-credit"> <span class="u-visually-hidden">Credit: </span><p>NRDC</p></div></figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="c-table-of-contents__section u-clearfix" id="choices" data-table-of-contents-section> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg"> <h2>Our choices</h2> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <p>Finally, it should go without saying that we, as individuals, are key to solving the climate crisis—not just by continuing to <a href="/stories/how-lobby-your-legislator" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="f28fe57b-8d59-4d0b-98ae-152c924ffe9b" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="How to Lobby Your Legislator">lobby our legislators</a> and speak up in our communities but also by <a href="/stories/how-you-can-stop-global-warming" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="1a4cb026-bb06-487a-84be-5fbe632be159" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="How You Can Stop Global Warming">taking climate actions in our daily lives</a>. By <a href="/stories/how-ditch-biggest-fossil-fuel-offenders-your-life" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="632ea6ba-e266-416b-b0b4-687a318c26f6" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="How to Ditch the Biggest Fossil Fuel Offenders in Your Life">switching off fossil fuels in our homes</a> and being more mindful of the climate footprint of the food we eat, our shopping habits, how we get around, our use of plastics and fossil fuels, and what businesses we choose to support (or not to support), we can move the needle.</p> <p>But it’s when we act collectively that real change happens—and we can do even more than cut down on carbon pollution. Communities banding together have fought back <a href="/bio/marisa-guerrero/fracking-banned-delaware-river-basin" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="fbe48474-3073-4b6d-9e6e-108de74bb27d" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Fracking Banned in the Delaware River Basin!">fracking</a>, <a href="/stories/what-keystone-xl-pipeline" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="93b24939-0da3-47e0-931c-53f256da56cf" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="What Is the Keystone XL Pipeline?">pipelines</a>, and <a href="/bio/ann-alexander/gov-newsoms-welcome-announcement-oil-drilling-setbacks" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0511f4bf-bb17-4731-9d70-c12a1c6e05b9" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Gov. Newsom’s Welcome Announcement on Oil Drilling Setbacks">oil drilling in people’s backyards</a>. These local wins aren’t just good news for our global climate but they also protect the right to clean air and clean water for everyone. After all, climate change may be a global crisis but climate action <a href="/stories/climate-action-starts-your-own-hometown" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7cd558ec-00d0-4e17-afcb-0376130ecf34" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Climate Action Starts in Your Own Hometown">starts in your own hometown</a>.</p> <p>We have a responsibility to consider the implications of our choices—and to make sure that these choices are actually helping to reduce the burdens of climate change, not merely shifting them somewhere else. It’s important to remember that the <a href="/stories/what-are-effects-climate-change" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="a54eef7e-e275-4d0a-89a2-9fd8d48fadbc" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="What Are the Effects of Climate Change? ">impacts of climate change</a>—which intersect with and intensify so many other environmental, economic, and social issues—fall disproportionately on certain communities, namely low-income communities and communities of color. That’s why our leaders have a responsibility to <a href="/bio/yukyan-lam/promise-environmental-justice-all-act" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="a8438890-a300-401e-b3fc-6b5f51f6269a" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="The Promise of the Environmental Justice for All Act">prioritize</a> the needs of these communities when crafting climate policies. If those on the frontlines aren’t a part of conversations around climate solutions, or do not feel the benefits of things like cleaner air and better job opportunities, then we are not <a href="/stories/how-unite-fight-racial-equity-and-environmental-action" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="3c9156d4-a9f8-4e94-a55c-d37df1720b48" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="How to Unite the Fight for Racial Equity and Environmental Action">addressing the roots</a> of the climate crisis.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__main"> <div class="c-wysiwyg u-clearfix" data-wysiwyg> <hr> <p><em><small>This NRDC.org story is available for online republication by news media outlets or nonprofits under these conditions: The writer(s) must be credited with a byline; you must note prominently that the story was originally published by NRDC.org and link to the original; the story cannot be edited (beyond simple things such as grammar); you can’t resell the story in any form or grant republishing rights to other outlets; you can’t republish our material wholesale or automatically—you need to select stories individually; you can’t republish the photos or graphics on our site without specific permission; you should </small></em><a href="/contact-us"><em><small>drop us a note</small></em></a><em><small> to let us know when you’ve used one of our stories.</small></em></p> </div> </div> <div class="l-page__full-bleed"> <div data-call-to-action> <div class="c-call-to-action-sticky" data-call-to-action-hide> <div class="l-constrain"> <div class="c-call-to-action-sticky__content" data-call-to-action-fade> <div class="c-call-to-action-sticky__left"> <h2 class="c-call-to-action-sticky__header"><p><span>We need climate action to be a top priority in Washington!</span></p></h2> <div class="c-call-to-action-sticky__body"> <p><span>Tell President Biden and Congress to slash climate pollution and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.</span></p> </div> </div> <div class="c-call-to-action-sticky__right"> <a class="c-button c-button--secondary" href="https://action.nrdc.org/letter/2623-make-2024-year-of-climate-action-in-washington-010524?initms=WBSNACASPETC30124&ms=WBSNACASPETC30124">Take Action</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="c-call-to-action" id="call-to-action"> <div class="l-constrain"> <div class="c-call-to-action__content" data-call-to-action-content> <div class="c-call-to-action__media"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_25/public/aa-5779-climate-land-windmill-rainbow.jpg.webp?h=d09b6c17&itok=9KIIxVdu 192w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_50/public/aa-5779-climate-land-windmill-rainbow.jpg.webp?h=d09b6c17&itok=_9eTM_sg 384w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_75/public/aa-5779-climate-land-windmill-rainbow.jpg.webp?h=d09b6c17&itok=C4RlxVrO 576w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_100/public/aa-5779-climate-land-windmill-rainbow.jpg.webp?h=d09b6c17&itok=KecSg0OC 768w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_150/public/aa-5779-climate-land-windmill-rainbow.jpg.webp?h=d09b6c17&itok=fptegdXX 1152w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_200/public/aa-5779-climate-land-windmill-rainbow.jpg.webp?h=d09b6c17&itok=JMYTkL31 1360w" sizes="(min-width: 768px) min(calc((100vw - 2.22222rem) / 2), 768px), 100vw" width="576" height="324" src="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_100/public/aa-5779-climate-land-windmill-rainbow.jpg.jpg?h=d09b6c17&itok=KecSg0OC" alt="A rainbow arches over lush green mountains and wind turbines in a valley" /> </div> <div class="c-call-to-action__main"> <h2 class="c-call-to-action__heading">Urge President Biden and Congress to make equitable climate action a top priority</h2> <div class="c-call-to-action__body"> <p>2023 was the hottest year on record, underscoring the urgency of shifting to clean energy and curbing the carbon pollution that is driving the climate crisis. President Biden and Congress have the tools to get the job done.</p> </div> <div class="c-call-to-action__button"> <a class="c-button c-button--secondary" href="https://action.nrdc.org/letter/2623-make-2024-year-of-climate-action-in-washington-010524?initms=WBSNACASPETC30124&ms=WBSNACASPETC30124">Take Action</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="l-page__main u-spaced-2-above"> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-issue-terms c-field--type-entity-reference c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__label">Related Issues</div> <a class="c-button c-button--tertiary" href="/issues/transportation" rel="nofollow">Transportation</a> <a class="c-button c-button--tertiary" href="/issues/sustainable-cities" rel="nofollow">Sustainable Cities</a> <a class="c-button c-button--tertiary" href="/issues/renewable-energy" rel="nofollow">Renewable Energy</a> <a class="c-button c-button--tertiary" href="/issues/fossil-fuels" rel="nofollow">Fossil Fuels</a> <a class="c-button c-button--tertiary" href="/issues/climate-adaptation" rel="nofollow">Climate Adaptation</a> <a class="c-button c-button--tertiary" href="/issues/buildings" rel="nofollow">Buildings</a> <a class="c-button c-button--tertiary" href="/issues/industrial-production" rel="nofollow">Industrial Production</a> <a class="c-button c-button--tertiary" href="/issues/climate-change" rel="nofollow">Climate Change</a> <a class="c-button c-button--tertiary" href="/issues/human-health" rel="nofollow">Human Health</a></div></div> <div class="l-page__full-bleed"> <section class="l-section has-top-border"> <div class="l-constrain"> <div class="l-section__main"> <h2 class="l-section__title">Related Stories</h2> <div class="l-section__content"> <div class="c-view c-view--related-content c-view--display-news_commentary_how_to_guide_issue_location_audience view js-view-dom-id-3a1e748e798c5a7fc7b199182498f1539c4ea63c5604ab3fea236d9e0eacbdec"> <div class="l-card-grid l-card-grid--carousel" data-card-grid-carousel> <a class="l-card-grid__skipnav u-visually-hidden u-focusable" href="#carousel">Skip carousel items</a> <div class="l-card-grid__controls" data-card-grid-carousel-controls> <button class="l-card-grid__prev" aria-label="Previous"> <svg class="c-icon is-left icon--card-grid" role="img" aria-hidden="true"><use href="/themes/nrdc_theme/dist/images/sprite.artifact.svg#angle"></use></svg></button> <button class="l-card-grid__next" aria-label="Next"> <svg class="c-icon is-right icon--card-grid" role="img" aria-hidden="true"><use href="/themes/nrdc_theme/dist/images/sprite.artifact.svg#angle"></use></svg></button> </div> <div class="l-card-grid__content" data-card-grid-carousel-content > <div data-history-node-id="59369" class="c-card"> <div class="c-card__wrapper"> <div class="c-card__media"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_25/public/media-uploads/nrdc-consumer-guide-inflation-reduction-act-516009830-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=EtTeQnRI 192w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_50/public/media-uploads/nrdc-consumer-guide-inflation-reduction-act-516009830-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=xtWaDj1q 384w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_75/public/media-uploads/nrdc-consumer-guide-inflation-reduction-act-516009830-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=TR6jFuZK 576w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_100/public/media-uploads/nrdc-consumer-guide-inflation-reduction-act-516009830-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=pSDbSIoj 768w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_150/public/media-uploads/nrdc-consumer-guide-inflation-reduction-act-516009830-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=VKmN__I- 1152w, /sites/default/files/styles/medium_16x9_200/public/media-uploads/nrdc-consumer-guide-inflation-reduction-act-516009830-2400.jpg.webp?h=c3635fa2&itok=nAtY_JDv 1360w" sizes="(min-width: 1044px) min(calc((100vw - 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