Environmental policies that address greenhouse gas emissions and climate change are going to help the U.S. meet its obligation to protect the Earth and promote the common good. Legislation must ensure that vulnerable populations don’t suffer from increased prices for the use of energy and transportation, and then again from the indirect raise in costs for other products and services, such as food and medical care.

New climate change policies should be designed, implemented and governed based on the following principles:

Design

The design of any climate change mitigation policy that raises the cost of energy and other essential consumer goods must be fair to all Americans, ensuring that consumers can afford to meet their residential and transportation energy needs.

Implementation

Funding must be adequate to hold low-income consumers harmless against costs resulting from the climate change policy, and policies should reduce the burden of fuel prices to affordable levels. Assistance to vulnerable consumers must be managed through proven, efficient program mechanisms such as LIHEAP, the Weatherization Assistance program, EITC, and Social Security, provided that such programs are administered so as to distribute these resources proportionately and timely.

Governance

The governance of climate change regulation and investment policy must be fair and responsive to emerging conditions.

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