Make Eco-Friendly Great Again: Could Arguments to the Pocketbook Make Climate Action an Election-Winner?

During stuffy United Nations media briefings, in luxurious halls and at sticky socialist celebrations, one term was on everyone’s minds at this year’s Climate Week NYC: cost-effectiveness.

The US energy secretary, Chris Wright, stated that during President Trump the United States is “returning to practical energy policies that focus on affordability”. The previous energy secretary, Jennifer Granholm, said Democrats must center on renewable power’s capacity to shrink power bills to win elections. And supporters of the likely soon-to-be New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, trumpeted their initiatives to link green policies with actions to cut city residents’ rent and make transit affordable.

The attempt to tie everyday cost issues to global warming is not new. The idea was a key part of the progressive climate plan, a forward-thinking policy platform championed by youth-led climate group the Sunrise Movement and New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2018. Joe Biden adopted the approach in the White House, calling his flagship green carbon-cutting policy the Inflation Reduction Act, from 2022.

Now, as energy costs soar around the country, Americans on every part of the political spectrum are framing their energy and climate proposals as ways to protect everyday citizens’ finances.

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Spotlight

Annually, Climate Week in New York City brings together public leaders, business representatives, experts and campaigners for a vast array of climate-focused events, scheduled to align with the United Nations general assembly.

This year, the Trump administration’s anti-environmental blitz threw a massive shadow over the event. In appearances through the week, White House officials aimed to peg its rule-cutting agenda as a victory to lower Americans’ bills, with Trump labeling green energy a “scam” and Wright saying: “The more people have gotten into so-called climate action, the more expensive their energy has become.”

Environmental supporters worked to expose those claims as false while persuading Americans on board with green policies on the grounds that they can cut costs. For instance, two Democratic representatives, from Illinois and California, introduced a plan to accelerate new power-line construction and reinstate green energy incentives which Trump canceled earlier this year. Its title: the Cheap Energy Act.

It’s a strategy that Jennifer Granholm, who acted as US energy secretary under Biden, noted she anticipated as climate slips down the list of political concerns for Americans, while economic worries rise. “My guess is you’re not going to see a lot of politicians using the word ‘climate’, because people see that as a secondary [concern], not a essential, and right now they’re in the critical mode,” she told reporters during avocado toast one morning. “Affordability is crucial.”

Those well to Granholm’s progressive side also called for a emphasis on affordability in the climate fight. But many called for more far-reaching solutions that deliver more quick benefits. Instead of merely adjusting with the tax code to encourage green technology buildout – a hallmark of Biden’s climate efforts – politicians should focus on less wonky, “green economic populist” campaigns such as no-cost transit and the build-out of low-carbon public housing.

“These kinds of programs do have emissions-reduction benefits, but they’re highly important for starting to establish a broad support [who have] faith in public institutions and confidence in the government,” Batul Hassan, labor director at the progressive thinktank Climate and Community Institute, said at a panel.

Mamdani, the left-wing who achieved a remarkable win in the New York City mayoral primary this summer, represents this kind of platform, said Hassan. On Wednesday of Climate Week, progressives gathered for a dance party at the renowned Sounds of Brazil music venue to celebrate the candidate’s success.

“It has long been understood that if we’re going to build a mass movement, people need to see the connection between the transition to renewable energy and spending less money,” New York City comptroller Brad Lander said in an interview at the party, shouting over the beat of Charli xcx.

Communication is important, but merely talking about affordability is not enough, Alexa Avilés, a New York City council member and progressive, told the Guardian at the Mamdani event. Trump, for instance, has not delivered to deliver on his promise of reducing bills while handing huge benefits to oil giants and other corporations. And many Democrats are also guilty of prioritizing their corporate donors’ interests, Avilés said.

“Some people speak about everyday folks, but then they create policies that are designed for the rich. We’ve been living with that frustration for a long time,” she said. “We need to focus on truly providing relief to people. And we see that when we really prioritize people over profit, people react to that. People can discern who is for real.”

Further Reading:

• US energy department cracks down on workers’ use of climate crisis language
• Trump administration spending $625m to resurrect declining coal industry
• Los Angeles pledged to host the Olympics without straining the bank and environment. Can it?