The Dean’s Forum series focuses on the intersection of race and public policy in support of the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance’s mission to host community conversations that inspire public leaders.
This panel discussed the newly passed federal Inflation Reduction Act signed by President Biden in August 2022, which includes some of the most dramatic and ambitious federal investments to address climate change ever passed by Congress. Panelists discussed the range of provisions in the act, including tax credits for solar and wind energy, amendments to the Clean Air Act, new authorization for loan guarantees, and investments for coast resiliency, specific resources also are targeted for “environmental justice” and what those will mean for individuals across socioeconomic groups. In this Dean’s Forum, our panelists assessed this growing area of research and action and considered the adequacy of this new federal investment for addressing the historic inequities in environmental risks and consequences for racial groups and communities.
