Climate Leadership Council

?? This week, we’re shining a spotlight on Patrick McKenna Jr., our chief of staff at the Council. His role has been vital to our efforts in stakeholder engagement and support, policy and congressional research, the development and implementation of strategy, and more. We’re lucky to have you on our team!

Where something is made has a significant impact on global emissions, especially in energy-intensive industries. Our latest analysis shows: - The U.S. is 2X more carbon-efficient than the global average, which is driven by fundamental differences in its energy efficiency, electricity mix, and direct industrial energy use.? - U.S. firms have improved energy efficiency and shifted to lower-carbon fuels more rapidly than competitors.? - U.S.-made goods are 4X more carbon-efficient than those from China.? Emerging economies continue to grow with a reliance on high-emitting energy sources. Understanding these differences is key to shaping smarter, more competitive policies for U.S. firms and the global climate.?

?? Our report on the U.S. carbon advantage is out now, and it re-confirms critical findings for manufacturers: the U.S. has a strong edge in carbon efficiency. In fact, goods manufactured in the U.S. are 2X more carbon-efficient than the world average and 4X more carbon-efficient than those manufactured in China (the world’s largest manufacturer). Dig into our findings here: https://buff.ly/3hNzXNC

This week, we hosted a rollout event on Capitol Hill for our latest report, America’s Carbon Advantage. This House briefing featured a keynote address from our own Catrina Rorke, who broke down the Council’s new findings on America’s carbon efficiency edge. She was followed by a panel discussion with Linda Dempsey, Luke Johnson, SE, PE, and David Brown, who explored what this advantage means for U.S. industry, and how trade policy can play a role in leveling the playing field for manufacturers. ? ? Thank you to our panelists and to everyone who joined us for this discussion! If you’d like to dive into this report, America’s Carbon Advantage is available on our website.?https://lnkd.in/g7jEJvyt

The U.S. continues to lead the world in carbon-efficient manufacturing across various sectors. Our latest research highlights this advantage, showing how U.S. industries outperform key global trading partners in carbon efficiency. This table presents a comparative view of carbon efficiency across major trading blocs. The red squares represent where U.S. industry is more carbon-efficient. Compared to the global average, the U.S. requires 45% the emissions of the global economy to create the same dollar of value. ?? https://buff.ly/tgCkLMS

Today, the Council released our latest report on America’s Carbon Advantage. In 2020, we pioneered a deep dive into carbon efficiency across industries and countries. This work has become key to discussions about developing border carbon adjustments. Our latest report builds on those original findings, reaffirming the U.S.'s carbon advantage with updated data and offering new insights into why this advantage exists—namely, fundamental differences in energy and industrial practices. This report serves as invaluable tool for policymakers as they work to support carbon-efficient U.S. manufacturers and reduce global emissions. I encourage you to review the findings and share your thoughts as we continue to advance this research.

In 2020, the Council released America’s Carbon Advantage, a groundbreaking study on the comparative carbon efficiency of the U.S. economy. We are proud of the role this research has played over the last several years in shaping the conversation around using trade tools to reward environmental performance.?? ? Today, Catrina Rorke, Scott Nystrom, and Daniel Hoenig released our latest analysis that re-confirms our findings while offering new insights into the factors behind the U.S. carbon advantage.?? ? The U.S. carbon advantage remains strong. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g7jEJvyt

ICYMI: The Climate Leadership Council is looking for motivated students and recent grads to join our team this summer in Washington, D.C.! This paid internship program offers hands-on experience on policy issues that span the intersection of climate and trade, and a closer look into the innerworkings of policy think tanks. If you’re interested in making an impact, visit our website and apply here: https://lnkd.in/gRsnf5z2?

In a recent Inside U.S. Trade article, Margaret S. spotlighted our new revenue estimator for foreign pollution fees—a potential game-changer for U.S. economic policy. During an event at the Council, CEO Greg Bertelsen cited an opportunity for pollution fees to offset tax cuts: “The costs of extending the existing tax cuts are in the several trillions of dollars. We know there are additional tax cuts that the president and Republicans in Congress have identified [...] But there aren’t a lot of options currently on the table to raise revenue to offset some of those tax cuts.” What’s the potential? Pollution fees could generate between $120 billion to $240 billion over the next 10 years, offering a significant new revenue stream to balance tax policy. https://lnkd.in/gHB5yXs7?

We’ve been busy at the Center for Climate & Trade. In the past few weeks, we have released a revenue estimator for foreign pollution fees, which shows the policy can raise between $120-$240 billion over 10 years, and a snap analysis on the ITC’s emissions report. Stay tuned for the upcoming release of a report on the U.S. carbon advantage. Check out our newsletter here: ?? https://conta.cc/3QMrEAA