America’s landmark climate policy, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), is one year old today. Many are (rightfully) reflecting on the boost it gives to domestic clean energy and tech investment. But in an op-ed for TIME, Gina McCarthy, former U.S. EPA administrator, looks to the future. To truly be a success, the IRA must spur climate action not just at home but abroad, she says, and the U.S. must support developing countries decarbonize. Doing so isn’t just good for cutting global emissions, but it will also bring with it health benefits that will be felt around the world. Shifting away from fossil fuels will produce cleaner air. It will also help create more resilience in the face of worsening climate impacts. Flooding in India, for example, devastated rice crops last month, forcing the country to halt exports of a dietary staple for 40% of the world’s population. “The impact will be far-reaching,” she writes. “Farmers will lose crops and money, while families suffer from hunger, malnutrition, and other life-threatening health challenges.” “It is time for all of us to stop turning a blind eye to the developing world when it continues to be hit by climate impacts first and worst, [and] when it has contributed the least to the climate crisis,” writes McCarthy, who, in the essay, calls on Congress to help “equip developing nations with the resources they need to secure their place in a clean energy future.” |
