New Climate Federalism: Defining Federal, State, and Local Roles in a U.S. Policy Framework to Achieve Decarbonization

This research paper by the World Resources Institute presents a 'New Climate Federalism' framework developed through dialogues with U.S. government officials. It outlines a collaborative model where federal, state, and local governments leverage their respective strengths to achieve decarbonization, emphasizing that federal standards should act as a floor rather than a ceiling to allow for more ambitious subnational action.

• The proposed framework asserts that while ambitious federal action is essential, all levels of government—federal, state, and local—must contribute to the solution, with a specific focus on promoting equitable and healthier outcomes for low-income communities and disproportionately harmed communities of color.
• The framework advocates for a non-preemptive approach where federal and state governments do not impede more ambitious actions taken by lower levels of government. Consistency should be achieved through ambitious federal standards that still allow state and local governments to adopt strategies reflecting regional and local conditions.
• State and local governments are identified as 'laboratories of democracy' that pioneer solutions and spur market development, which the federal government should then learn from and replicate nationally.
• The document delineates specific roles for different levels of government: the federal government should handle national emission targets, international engagement, R&D, funding, and emissions registries; subnational governments are best suited for land-use planning, zoning, local transportation, and infrastructure resilience.
• A collaborative approach across all government levels is recommended for specific programs, including carbon pricing programs, zero-emission vehicle standards, and clean energy standards.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). New Climate Federalism: Defining Federal, State, and Local Roles in a U.S. Policy Framework to Achieve Decarbonization. https://www.wri.org/research/new-climate-federalism-defining-federal-state-and-local-roles-us-policy-framework-achieve

Chicago

World Resources Institute. New Climate Federalism: Defining Federal, State, and Local Roles in a U.S. Policy Framework to Achieve Decarbonization. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/new-climate-federalism-defining-federal-state-and-local-roles-us-policy-framework-achieve.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=New Climate Federalism: Defining Federal, State, and Local Roles in a U.S. Policy Framework to Achieve Decarbonization |url=https://www.wri.org/research/new-climate-federalism-defining-federal-state-and-local-roles-us-policy-framework-achieve |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendnew, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{New Climate Federalism: Defining Federal, State, and Local Roles in a U.S. Policy Framework to Achieve Decarbonization}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/new-climate-federalism-defining-federal-state-and-local-roles-us-policy-framework-achieve}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }