Climate 411

Detroit Showcases How Clean Energy and Community Benefits Go Hand-in-Hand

Written Q&A with Tepfirah Rushdan, Director of the Detroit Office of Sustainability, on the city’s solar neighborhoods project.

A white man in a gray suit pointing out details on a posterboard. In the background are four more individuals.

Mayor Mike Duggan and other city officials share information about the selected solar neighborhoods with community members during a January 2025 press conference.

Detroit is modeling how to co-create clean energy solutions with communities by combining urban revitalization efforts with sustainability goals. The Motor City’s climate goals are ambitious: by 2034, Detroit aims to power 100% of its municipal buildings with clean energy and source 50% of its electricity from clean sources in the next three years. Along the way, the city is advancing a range of co-benefits, including improved public health, more energy efficiency and affordability, and quality jobs and opportunities.

As part of this strategy, Detroit‘s Office of Sustainability and Department of Neighborhoods are teaming up to implement the city’s Neighborhood Solar Initiative, which will build solar arrays on vacant land surrounded by communities that benefit from the repurposed space. Five neighborhoods were selected based on resident interest, and a total of 167 acres of land are being fitted with solar fields, raised gardening beds and other landscaping enhancements. Spearheaded by Mayor Mike Duggan and informed by input from thousands of Detroiters, the effort is one of the first steps to achieving the city’s larger climate goals. By providing clean energy and engaging residents and local nonprofits, Solar Neighborhoods will make new use of vacant areas and offer money-saving energy efficiency upgrades for surrounding homes.

A woman with light brown skin and a white shirt smiling at the camera.

Tepfirah Rushdan, Director of the Office of Sustainability since 2024.

I spoke with Tepfirah Rushdan, Detroit’s Director of Sustainability, to learn more about the city’s Solar Neighborhoods, how communities have been involved during every step of the process and her advice for other local leaders looking to build more sustainable futures for their cities. Read More »

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Jobs in Jeopardy: Undermining federal support for electric vehicles threatens U.S. employment

The U.S. auto industry has just started finding its footing with electric vehicles (EVs). Jobs are now booming across the Midwest and the new “battery belt” in the South.

But new evidence shows that the rollback of federal tax and regulatory policies poses critical risks to this progress.

A recent report commissioned by Environmental Defense Fund found that EV manufacturing investments reached almost $200 billion over the last ten years. 65% of that came in the last two and a half years – since Congress passed laws that spurred that growth, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

The report also found that manufacturers have announced 195,000 EV-related jobs in the U.S., and that EV and battery manufacturing could generate up to 826,000 additional jobs in the broader economy.

These investments are being made in communities across the country. Many are the largest investments the states or counties have ever seen. But these investments and jobs are now in peril.

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IRA across the USA: 5 communities winning clean energy manufacturing jobs

Two clean manufacturing workers training on site.

A year since the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law, this historic climate legislation has already led to $278 billion in private investment that will support more than 170,000 clean energy jobs across the country.

And the work is just getting started.

Manufacturing incentives in the law, which encourage companies to build the clean energy supply chain here in the U.S., are creating manufacturing jobs and new economic opportunities for communities. According to the BlueGreen Alliance, the IRA will spur an estimated 900,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs over the next decade. The law also pairs incentives with labor standards that protect and prepare workers by requiring fair wages and apprenticeships.

Get to know some of the towns and communities around the country that are winning these major manufacturing investments and getting ready to build the clean energy technologies that will power our future.

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New data shows Arizona EV jobs and investments Are soaring

This post was written by EDF’s Ellen Robo

One year ago this month, the Inflation Reduction Act put the pedal to the metal for investments in electric vehicle manufacturing – and it shows no sign of letting up.

In fact, U.S. EV investments are still growing at a breakneck pace.

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Also posted in Cars and Pollution, Cities and states, Economics, Jobs, News, Policy / Read 1 Response

Clearing the Air: California’s Leadership on Clean Trucks

FedEx Express truck

A FedEx eStar electric truck in Los Angeles. Photo: Mr.choppers

This blog is co-authored by NRDC’s Britt Carmon, Guillermo A. Ortiz, and David Pettit. It originally appeared here.

California has long grappled with the challenge of improving its air quality, which ranks as the worst in the country. Heavy-duty diesel trucks, which are significant contributors to air and climate pollution, make it difficult for the state to achieve nationwide air quality standards.  As such, it should be no surprise that the transportation sector remains the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, not only in California, but nationwide as well. However, the scale of the problem is not insurmountable. California has also been at the forefront of regulating tailpipe and motor vehicle greenhouse gas emissions and has made steady progress towards cleaner air for decades.

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Also posted in California, Cars and Pollution, Cities and states, Economics, Energy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Health, Innovation, Jobs, News, Partners for Change, Policy / Comments are closed

What We’re Watching in Reconciliation

Photo Credit: Wally Gobetz

Through the process known as budget reconciliation, Congress is now considering significant investments in climate action that could supercharge economic and job growth. With so many moving pieces, it can be difficult to know what to watch for, which is why we’ve homed in on four key questions to ask as the process unfolds.

EDF staff will also be weighing in on key developments as they happen, and you can read those comments in a new, regularly updated blog post you can read here. Read More »

Also posted in Cars and Pollution, Energy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Health, Jobs / Comments are closed