Energy policies play a crucial role in shaping decisions around production and use of energy resources, from taxes to incentives for investment and other means of altering behavior.

Decisions we make about energy have far-reaching ramifications for climate, health and economy as well as our interactions with each other.

Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) account for around 80% of global energy use and when burned they release carbon stored within plant and animal remains for millions of years – leading to climate change.

Fossil fuel extraction, transport, processing and burning generate significant climate, environmental, and health costs which do not reflect their market price; these costs are known as externalities.

The fossil fuel industry uses their immense financial and political leverage to undermine democratic processes at every level of governance. By funding “dark money” donations from exceedingly wealthy stakeholders, they can sow divisions around energy reform just when we most need it; misinformation campaigns push open societies further toward authoritarianism – all while harming global prosperity and human well-being. This interference damages global prosperity and human well-being alike.

Nuclear Power

Nuclear energy plays a significant role in energy security as an emission-free power source, offering dispatchable low-emission electricity at competitive costs. Resilient nuclear plants help assimilate variable renewables into electricity grids by providing ancillary services. Their fuel costs remain relatively constant over their lifespans compared to coal, oil and natural gas generation plants.

Governments bear a responsibility to promote energy security as a public good, which includes ensuring power generation does not deviate from society’s needs in order to avoid local shortages and ensure system stability. According to WEO-2014 report, governments should remove fossil fuel subsidies that totaled $548 billion in 2013. They should also introduce price transparency policies and encourage investments in capital-intensive nuclear and renewables investments so all technologies may reach their full economic potential.

Cleaner Alternatives

As clean energy technologies mature and their costs decrease dramatically, this bodes well for our environment by decreasing pollution which contributes to asthma attacks, shortening lives and creating other adverse health impacts.

But shifting towards a sustainable energy economy can also present its own set of difficulties for communities that rely heavily on fossil fuels as sources of employment. Policies can address this by making sure the benefits of cleaner energy are more evenly spread among the populace.

Federal policies should provide for an equitable transition by economically protecting oil and gas regions and workers through the clean energy transformation. This may involve providing funding to help communities diversify their economic bases, encouraging workforce retraining and reemployment programs, or connecting economically high-risk communities with broad clean energy sector activities – ultimately helping the United States meet its climate commitments and advance clean energy deployment faster.

Affordability

Affordability is a complex concept that has been defined and measured differently depending on the discipline in which research takes place. Climate policy must take note of this disparate definitions to support adaptation to climate risks (Ezennia and Hoskara 2019).

Energy efficiency and electrification programs must be income-tested to ensure low-income households receive priority when it comes to receiving e-bikes, cold climate heat pumps, electric vehicles and home retrofits. Governments should also increase public transit access as well as promote mixed-use neighborhoods that reduce car use.

Statewide energy affordability goals can serve to highlight that all citizens require access to affordable electricity and fuel regardless of household income or circumstance, and can even help align IRA incentives with equity-focused programs.

Inclusivity

Integrating people and inclusion into transitioning to clean energy transitions is central to creating progressive energy policies that advance society. Policies must also take a holistic approach toward combatting energy poverty and inequality.

Inclusivity takes many forms in the workplace – from making sure women are visible in leadership positions to offering unconscious bias training for employees – but isolated gestures alone won’t suffice in creating an inclusive workplace culture.

Survey respondents revealed that citizens are often not included in the planning of energy projects and don’t get involved enough with community organizations. Furthermore, large utilities reportedly hold power both figuratively (through decision making) and physically (via infrastructure provision). Engaging economically vulnerable populations in energy transition planning is one key way of increasing inclusivity.