Sponsored by American University’s School of Public Affairs (SPA) 

The Center for Environmental Policy (CEP) 

The Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies (CCPS)  

 

Co-sponsored by The Center for Environment, Community and Equity (CECE) 

The Washington College of Law’s Program on Environmental and Energy Law (WCL/PEEL) 

 

Why is climate change not a bigger issue in the 2024 electoral campaign?  The Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act were some of the nation’s most successful legislative achievements of the last decade, and they were all initiated also by the executive branch.  And yet neither presidential candidate is making these policy achievements, responsible for creating thousands of jobs to spend billions of dollars, prominent topics of their campaigns. 

While President Biden and congressional candidates from both parties are likely to address the economic development, job creation, and infrastructure improvements brought by these initiatives, they do not often mention part of the president’s motivation for his leadership on these matters, the effort to manage climate change.  In the “thick” of the campaign, we seek through this conference to take a step back and ask broader questions about political polarization, party politics, and one of the most under-considered campaign issues of our time. 

 

 

Schedule of Presentations:

 

Light Breakfast and Opening Remarks: 8:30-9:00 AM 

 

Background: The Evolution of Climate Politics and Policies in the US: 9:00-10:15 AM

Dan Fiorino, American University CEP 

Dana Fisher, American University CECE 

Moderator/Discussant: Raul Garcia, EarthJustice and PEEL 

 

Climate Change and Broader US Voter Enthusiasm: 10:15-11:30 AM

Charlie Cook, The Cook Political Report 

Parrish Bergquist, University of Pennsylvania Department of Political Science 

Moderator/Discussant: Jan Leighley, American University SPA 

 

Break: 11:30 AM-12:30 PM, Lunch Served 

 

“Climate Populism”: Could Climate Ever Again be Bipartisan?: 12:30-1:45 PM 

Bob Inglis, founding director, republicEn and George Mason University 

Joe Bonfiglio, Environmental Defense Fund 

Moderator/Discussant: Liz Suhay, American University SPA 

 

Roundtable: Making Climate More Salient for More Electoral Constituencies: 1:45-3:00 PM

John Paul Mejia, American University and Sunrise

Russell Armstrong, US Climate Action Network and PEEL 

Todd Eisenstadt, American University SPA 

Moderator/Discussant: Ron Elving, American University SPA