Outcomes depends on relationship between federal government and states, says Professor Juliette Rooney-Varga
Image by Rodrique Ngowi/AP
11/21/2024
WGBH
By Dave Epstein and Gal Tziperman Lotanv
As the nation prepares for President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, climate advocates are wondering what we might expect to see from his administration.
To understand where those changes could come from, it’s important to understand the relationship the U.S. federal government has with states, said professor Juliette Rooney-Varga, director of the Climate Change Initiative at UMass Lowell.
“There is an awful lot that Massachusetts is doing and can do regardless of the federal situation,” Rooney-Varga said in a conversation with WGBH meteorologist Dave Epstein. “We are part of a country. We all pay taxes to the federal government and we live under the rules, regulations and the benefits of being part of this country and of federal opportunities and constraints.”
The future brings a lot of uncertainty, she said. Rooney-Varga said she thinks about her three kids and what their lives will look like in the future: what jobs they’ll have, and what the world around them will look like.
“But I think some of the signals that we’re getting are that there could be some changes and potential threats to funding that comes from the Inflation Reduction Act, also known as the IRA,” Rooney-Varga said. “Massachusetts has already benefited from that in terms of fueling the climate tech economy, providing incentives for consumers to switch to solar EVs, heat pumps, etc. And then also, Massachusetts is relying heavily on offshore wind as part of our clean energy mix going forward.”
This year is likely to be the first in which global average temperatures exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-Industrial Age norms.
“We’re going to see more intense storms. We’re going to see more sea level rise. We’re going to see more heat waves. We’re already seeing more wildfires,” Rooney-Varga said. Humans will have to adapt and learn how to build more resilience around how we live and consume energy.
“How do we build resilience and create this new clean energy future at the same time?” she said. “If you think about one of the first things we should all be doing is, you know, the cleanest, most abundant, cheapest form of energy is the energy we don’t use. So if we can use all those incentives, use less energy, it saves money. And it’s a form of climate resilience.”
A bit of good news on offshore wind: About 60% of planned offshore wind capacity off the Massachusetts coast has already secured federal permits.
“But this also throws a lot of uncertainty into the future of offshore wind. And that could also make private industry, private financing, sort of ask questions about how certain this investment is and make that financing more difficult,” Rooney-Varga said.
There are plenty of incentive programs in place for Massachusetts residents looking to make their homes and commutes more efficient, she said. There are programs to replace old furnaces, inefficient and polluting stoves, add solar panels, and more.
Massachusetts residents can find a list of energy incentives at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. Residents of other states can go to energy.gov’s Energy Saver programs.
“Do those projects now,” Rooney-Varga said. “Like, immediately, if you can. So things like insulating your home, thinking about solar panels if you can on your roof or community solar, looking into getting an [electric vehicle] if you’re ready for a new car, or an e-bike. There are incentives for that as well in Massachusetts.”
And when you take advantage of them, don’t keep it to yourself.
“Talk about it,” Rooney-Varga said. “We know that people are up to 20 times more likely to do something if they hear about it from their friends or family members. So, you know, MassSave and these other incentive programs might send you all kinds of stuff in the mail, but most of us throw them away as quickly as possible. You’re much more likely to do something if you hear about from a friend or family member.”
She also suggested finding climate movement organizations to get involved with, like Mothers Out Front, and contacting elected officials to tell them what’s important to you.
A more environmentally conscious future can mean a lot of things, she said: Up to 38,000 according to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center; quieter streets with more electric vehicles; more bikes, more solar, and more.
“We’re going to have more things like transmission lines and utility scale storage and things that, you know, maybe you don’t necessarily jump to have in your backyard,” she said. “Get involved in those discussions at the community level. Get engaged and think about that as part of the solution.”