The Aspen Institute

Achieving a net-zero economy will require innovations and advancements in technologies, markets, and policies. Every topic related to clean energy and a net-zero economy is affected by policy, and Congress has produced some notable bipartisan clean energy and climate wins the past couple of years. There has been record support for major energy technology innovation programs, including in the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, which also appropriated billions of dollars for other climate-related needs. Despite the magnitude of spending in the law, it has been overlooked a bit, seen by climate advocates as secondary to the stalled Build Back Better bill. There will be more opportunities to advance climate priorities in this Congress and future Congresses, including additional opportunities for bipartisan climate policy action.