The Business Press – June 28, 2023 at 12:27AM
Legislation is how we make change, but implementation is how we take the shot. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a landmark legislation designed to tackle climate change, and its passage marks a shot at avoiding a climate collapse. However, its success depends on proper implementation, which is often overlooked.
Implementation involves getting the incentives right and reducing friction for consumers. The IRA relies on financial incentives modeled by economists, tested by pollsters, and approved by politicians. But getting every requirement exactly right at the expense of usability, accuracy, and speed could sit the careful crafted incentives largely unused.
The federal and state agencies responsible for implementing the IRA should prioritize ease of use for consumers and contractors and heed recommendations from experts like non-profit Rewiring America. Federalism could also complicate implementation, and local governments may have to step up their game to meet demand.
To ensure the IRA achieves its policy goals, everyone from activists to designers and everyday citizens has a part to play. It may not sound radical, but activities like showing up at city council meetings and asking pointed questions, using service blueprints to optimize bottlenecks, and sweating the bureaucratic details are immensely practical and effective ways of reducing the country’s carbon emissions. The IRA is imperfect, but it is our shot at tackling climate change.
The Business Press 