March 8, 2021 Carbon-neutral buildings require improved efficiency and appliances that run on zero-carbon sources of energy, such as electricity generated from solar and wind. Photo by ownway on Shutterstock. The Biden administration has committed to a historically ambitious climate agenda. We can expect a profound shift in U.S. federal climate policy — from one of continued domestic rollbacks and international disengagement, to one of forward progress and cooperation. This is critical, as it is not possible to address the climate challenge without federal leadership, and time is running out to avert catastrophic levels of global warming. At the same time, state-level climate action will remain essential. History has shown that even an engaged U.S. federal government faces real obstacles to progressive regulatory and legislative action. In the face of federal gridlock and inaction, state and local governments have played a crucial role in advancing climate action, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the continued maturation of key low-carbon technologies such as wind and solar generation as well as electric vehicles.