Paris climate agreement return opens up innovation and business opportunities here in the Midwest

The United States has now rejoined the Paris Climate Accord. This powerful change of climate course both advances global solutions and opens Midwest opportunities.

Global climate change problems require global solutions to reduce pollution — it doesn’t matter for the atmosphere whether greenhouse gases are emitted in Iowa, Indiana, India or Indonesia. We’re all in this together.

Innovative clean energy and clean transportation technologies are necessary tools for global progress. The renewable energy equipment that we make in the Midwest creates jobs, saves money and reduces pollution. Exporting clean energy technologies to developing nations can help accelerate global climate change solutions. That’s thinking and acting both locally and globally.

Iowa wind power generates 40% of the state’s electricity, and is moving to advance a stable solar marketplace. This investment in Iowa’s environment grows the clean energy economy. That includes hundreds of manufacturing jobs crafting turbine blades at TPI Components in Newton, and innovative flexible solar panels at PowerFilm in Ames.

The Environmental Law & Policy Center’s new supply chain report identified 113 solar and wind energy supply chain businesses in Iowa, which create local jobs and new opportunities to export equipment and technical expertise. These manufacturers, developers, installers and professional services businesses operate in every Iowa congressional district and most state legislative districts.

These renewable energy businesses are growing across the Midwest. The center's reports also identified 354 clean energy businesses in Wisconsin, 241 in Minnesota and 450 renewable energy supply chain businesses in Illinois.

That’s in addition to the new jobs created as Midwest automakers ramp up their production of electric vehicles. Ford and GM are moving to assemble only electric vehicles in the not-so-distant future. Ford is already investing $3.2 billion in its North American plants to build electric vehicles, creating hundreds of jobs. GM moved forward with its Chevy Bolt and plans to hire 3,000 engineers and tech workers to bring 20 new electric vehicles to market. 

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The Midwest is ground zero in the battle against climate change and for accelerating smart solutions. Our region is the nation’s transportation system hub and manufacturing center. We should be the “between the coasts” fulcrum for clean energy and transportation innovations, which are good for the environment and the economy together.

Let’s face it — our communities are facing the real-world challenges of climate change, including extreme weather both heat waves and record cold, and the damaging derecho.

Midwesterners are practical people who try to drive solutions. We take on tough challenges. We put in the work.

President Joe Biden is prioritizing climate change solutions, values sound science, and will put the “protection” back in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help achieve healthier clean air and safe clean water for all.

Iowa and the Midwest should welcome the federal government coming back to these much-needed shared responsibilities. Rejoining the Paris Climate Accord creates positive business growth opportunities and helpful climate change solutions for us all.

Howard A. Learner is the executive director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center, the Midwest’s leading public interest environmental legal advocacy and sustainability organization, with offices in Chicago, Des Moines and other cities.