RMI Recommends Stimulus Programs to Advance Zero-Carbon Economic Recovery for the United States

BOULDER, Colorado, June 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) today released a study recommending four key programs for US stimulus investment to support short- and long-term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn while ensuring progress toward a low-carbon future for the United States.

The recommended programs aim to help the United States build back better by catalyzing industries, technologies, and practices shown to improve public health, create job opportunities, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"Congress acted swiftly to provide immediate aid to many in need due to COVID-19. But more stimulus is necessary. This report presents concrete recommendations to help the United States emerge from this crisis as a cleaner, more just, and more resilient country," said Carla Frisch, principal at RMI.

US Stimulus Strategy: Recommendations for a Zero-Carbon Economic Recovery is the second in a series of six papers that outline how green stimulus and recovery investments by countries and regions around the globe can help address both the pandemic-caused economic crisis and the climate crisis.

The first report, Global Stimulus Principles, provided a framework for planning and evaluating stimulus efforts. This new research describes how this framework can be applied in the United States.

The report outlines four key programs:

• Build Back Better Buildings: a building retrofit program to catalyze unprecedented building improvements.
• Enhance Access and Electrify Mobility: investment to prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit while supporting an electric vehicle transition.
• Debt Forgiveness for a Sustainable Recovery: a financial incentive program to provide debt relief based on verifiable emissions reductions.
• Economic Recovery Facility for Financing Low- and Zero-Carbon Activities: a federal entity dedicated to financing clean energy and infrastructure projects.

"These recommendations represent RMI's perspective on programs we should prioritize now because of their potential to stimulate job growth immediately while accelerating long-term decarbonization of the US economy," said Ben Holland, senior associate at RMI.

In the coming weeks, RMI will release four more reports with recommendations for green stimulus and recovery actions specific to China, India, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean.

Download the US Stimulus Strategy paper: https://rmi.org/insight/recommendations-for-a-zero-carbon-economic-recovery

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Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)
RMI transforms global energy use to create a clean, prosperous, and secure low-carbon future.

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