{"id":21182,"date":"2021-04-01T15:06:24","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T20:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/?p=21182"},"modified":"2025-12-08T14:13:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T19:13:08","slug":"these-key-policies-in-bidens-infrastructure-plan-can-deliver-big-wins-on-jobs-and-climate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2021\/04\/01\/these-key-policies-in-bidens-infrastructure-plan-can-deliver-big-wins-on-jobs-and-climate\/","title":{"rendered":"These key policies in Biden\u2019s infrastructure plan can deliver big wins on jobs and climate"},"content":{"rendered":"

This blog was co-authored with Danielle Arostegui<\/a>, Senior Analyst, U.S. Climate.<\/em><\/p>\n

This week, President Biden unveiled a far-reaching infrastructure package to build back the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, while protecting existing and future generations from the most severe consequences of climate change and addressing historic inequities in access to clean air and water.<\/p>\n

This is the kind of strong leadership we need on the economy and on climate.<\/p>\n

The American Jobs Plan<\/a> is packed full of promising investments that can generate millions of new, good-paying union jobs, revitalize our nation\u2019s aging infrastructure, lessen economic and environmental inequalities and drive progress on our urgent climate goals. In fact, the plan declares \u201cevery dollar spent on rebuilding our infrastructure during the Biden administration will be used to prevent, reduce, and withstand the impacts of the climate crisis.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

While Biden\u2019s plan has no shortage of important policies with massive potential to lift up communities from coast to coast\u2014including policies that deliver clean drinking water, quality housing, broadband internet, and more\u2014the proposals aimed at transforming America\u2019s power and transportation sectors are particularly critical for their ability to simultaneously combat climate change while creating a stronger, more equitable clean economy.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A previous EDF report <\/a>highlighted how investment in these two sectors can create millions of jobs, save thousands of lives through cleaner air, deliver benefits in frontline communities\u2014including highly-polluted communities, low-income households, communities of color, and communities transitioning out of reliance on the fossil fuel economy\u2014and make U.S. businesses more competitive. Cutting pollution from these sectors will be pivotal to putting the United States on a path to zero emissions by no later than 2050, since power and transportation account for more than half of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\n

Policies that supercharge clean power<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Tackling climate change will require a massive and rapid build-out of clean electricity. As cars, trucks, homes, and buildings are increasingly converted to run on electricity, it will be even more important for that electricity to be powered by clean energy. Biden\u2019s plan would significantly boost efforts to clean up the power grid while putting Americans back to work, including by:<\/p>\n