The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced a commitment from over 90 companies and organizations to reduce their carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 through DOE’s Better Climate Challenge. This national public-private partnership calls on organizations across the country to set bold, portfolio-wide greenhouse gas reduction targets and share their innovative solutions and best practices with partners and across industries. DOE will double down on these commitments by providing technical assistance and convening peer-to-peer exchanges to facilitate solution sharing across their facilities and fleets. Inaugural partners in the Better Climate Challenge include IKEA Retail U.S., Hilton, Harley-Davidson, the Cleveland Clinic, and the State of Maryland. Public-private partnerships like the Better Climate Challenge are key to reaching President Biden’s goal of a net-zero emissions economy by 2050 through an equitable clean energy transition.
“Companies across America are joining arms to lead the zero-carbon transition through smart, strategic climate solutions that slash building and factory emissions and significantly cut costs,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “With the help of DOE, the meaningful and measurable emissions reductions of the Better Climate Challenge will save American businesses billions of dollars, create good-paying jobs, and drive innovation that strengthens the entire U.S. economy.”
DOE’s Better Climate Challenge partners have committed to reducing their enterprise-wide greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% within 10 years without the use of offsets. Partners will work with DOE to provide annual updates while working collaboratively to identify pathways and key areas for collaboration and improvement. By taking on this goal for their buildings and factories, partners in the Better Climate Challenge are helping the nation meet its economy-wide goal of a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. If all organizations in the commercial, public, and industrial sectors reduced their U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, it would save nearly 1.5 billion metric tons of CO2e annually, more than the emissions from every home in the country.
Delivering Climate Justice
“The Challenge is not just about cutting carbon pollution but about supporting communities that all too often bear the brunt of climate change while seeing too few of the benefits from the energy transition,” said U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia L. Fudge. “We have a tremendous opportunity to deliver climate justice to disadvantaged communities, lower energy expenses in affordable housing, and accelerate mitigation efforts to protect at-risk communities from natural disasters and the impacts of climate change. That is why I’m pleased that of the organizations stepping up to this challenge, seven are public housing and multifamily partners, representing a bright future for more than 40,000 families. We are delighted to partner with DOE on this initiative and look forward to our continued work together.”
"The bold climate goals of the Better Climate Challenge will foster cutting-edge innovation and help American businesses decarbonize a crucial sector while they reap the benefits of investing in cleaner and cheaper energy,” said White House Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy. “These commitments harness the collective power of American businesses to carve new pathways to emissions reductions and accelerate progress towards deploying climate solutions across the country and reaching our zero-emissions goals.”
“Combating the climate crisis requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, including innovation in the public-private sector to substantially reduce our nation’s carbon footprint. I applaud the organizations participating in the Better Climate Challenge to shrink harmful carbon emissions by 50 percent over the next decade. Embracing energy efficiency and shifting towards clean energy not only creates jobs and bolsters our economy, but also builds a more sustainable future in the Granite State and around the country,” said U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen.
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Secretary Granholm, Secretary Fudge, and Advisor McCarthy hosted a roundtable with Better Climate Challenge partners to highlight their commitment to curbing emissions and sharing best practices. They were joined by current partners, who represent multiple sectors of the U.S. economy, including state and local government, commercial, industrial, multifamily, and higher education.
DOE’s Better Climate Challenge builds on over a decade of experience working with partners to set portfolio wide goals and to address barriers to greater energy efficiency though the Better Buildings Initiative. More than 950 organizations work with DOE as part of the Better Buildings Initiative and partners have shared more than 3000 innovative approaches and strategies for accelerating the adoption of energy efficient technologies and practices. Discover more about these solutions on the Better Buildings Solution Center.
To learn more about the Better Climate Challenge visit betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/better-climate-challenge.
