Climate policy has been a significant focal area at the federal level over the past three years, notably with the passage of legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The IRA and IIJA will be essential for the transition of the United States to a carbon free society by 2050. They will also have wide-reaching state and local impacts, including in Michigan.

The 2024 election is an ideal time to examine how current U.S. climate policy is working and what the next few years could look like. For instance, many challenges remain in the implementation of the IRA and the IIJA (e.g., permitting and land use), while the impacts on major industries like automotive manufacturing are still being studied. Bringing together the deep knowledge of scholars at the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan and the policy and research expertise of Brookings, this event will explore important aspects of recent legislation as well as the future of climate policy in the United States.

Welcome Remarks:
Celeste Watkins-Hayes, Dean, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Framing the Issue
Brahima Coulibaly, Vice President and Director, Global Economy and Development program, Brookings Institution

Panel Discussion – Choices for the future

Samantha Gross, Director, Energy Security and Climate Initiative and Fellow in Foreign Policy at Brookings
Sanjay Patnaik, Director, Center on Regulation and Markets and Senior Fellow in Economic Studies at Brookings
Barry Rabe, J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Professor of Public Policy, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Phil Roos, Director, State of Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
Moderator: Kelly House, environmental reporter for Bridge Michigan

Keynote and discussion
Tonya Allen, President, McKnight Foundation
Moderator: Cecilia Rouse, President, Brookings Institution