eesi-recommendations-to-house-select-climate-crisis-committee-2019.11-21b7d790757c87b8.pdf

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) outlines a comprehensive strategy for the U.S. to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century. Key recommendations include restoring CAFE standards, investing in sustainable aviation fuels and electric aircraft, establishing national energy efficiency and renewable portfolio standards, and targeting net-zero energy for new buildings by 2050. The report emphasizes environmental justice, calling for a national climate bank and increased funding for the Rural Energy Savings Program. It also advocates for carbon pricing with border tax adjustments, the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies, and a transition to a circular economy to reduce plastic pollution.

• The transportation sector is the highest-emitting sector in the U.S. as of 2017. EESI recommends the immediate restoration of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards and the development of sustainable alternative fuels (SAF) and electric propulsion for aircraft to reduce emissions.
• To decarbonize the electric power sector, the U.S. should implement a national energy efficiency resource standard (EERS) and a national renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to ensure national uniformity in increasing renewable energy use.
• The building sector accounts for over one-third of greenhouse gas emissions. EESI proposes a goal of net-zero energy (NZE) consumption for new buildings by 2050 and prioritizes retrofitting existing buildings and federal facilities.
• Environmental justice must be central to decarbonization. Recommendations include requiring federal agencies to address impacts on low-income and minority communities, increasing funding for the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP), and establishing a national climate bank that prioritizes marginalized communities.
• A carbon price should be implemented as part of a broader strategy, including a border tax adjustment to prevent 'carbon leakage' and incentivize other countries to adopt carbon pricing. Additionally, the U.S. should eliminate fossil fuel subsidies, estimated at roughly $20 billion per year.
• Innovation should focus on renewable baseload power (such as geothermal, hydropower, and concentrating solar power) and the domestic recovery of rare earth minerals through recycling to ensure national energy security.
• Community resilience requires reforming the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to address its solvency crisis and prioritizing nature-based solutions, such as wetland and mangrove restoration, which can be more cost-effective than traditional 'gray' infrastructure.
• The U.S. should reestablish global leadership by committing to the Paris Agreement and utilizing its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to guide domestic and international climate action.
• The U.S. needs to transition to a circular economy for petroleum-based products to minimize resource extraction and reduce plastic pollution, moving away from the current linear cycle of production and landfilling.
• Federal budget scoring by the CBO and OMB should be revised to incorporate the long-term benefits and costs of climate change, specifically prioritizing human health and environmental considerations over short-term financial metrics.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2019). eesi-recommendations-to-house-select-climate-crisis-committee-2019.11-21b7d790757c87b8.pdf. https://www.eesi.org/files/EESI-Recommendations-to-House-Select-Climate-Crisis-Committee-2019.11.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. eesi-recommendations-to-house-select-climate-crisis-committee-2019.11-21b7d790757c87b8.pdf. 2019. https://www.eesi.org/files/EESI-Recommendations-to-House-Select-Climate-Crisis-Committee-2019.11.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=eesi-recommendations-to-house-select-climate-crisis-committee-2019.11-21b7d790757c87b8.pdf |date=22 November 2019 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/EESI-Recommendations-to-House-Select-Climate-Crisis-Committee-2019.11.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2019eesirecommendationstohouseselectclimatecrisiscommittee20191121b7d790757c87b8pdf, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{eesi-recommendations-to-house-select-climate-crisis-committee-2019.11-21b7d790757c87b8.pdf}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2019}, month = nov, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/EESI-Recommendations-to-House-Select-Climate-Crisis-Committee-2019.11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }