Climate

When Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland invented the first commercial synthetic plastic, Bakelite, in 1907, he started a materials revolution. Innovative and ultra-durable, this fossil fuel derivative quickly became foundational to early electrical and industrial manufacturing.

Securing the supply of key minerals is mission critical for the clean energy transition.

Geothermal is a proven, clean source of baseload power. Yet despite decades of operational success, it accounts for less than 1% of global electricity generation. That's about to change.
Conventional hydrothermal systems are ready to deploy today, and next-generation technologies like enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), closed-loop systems, and superhot geothermal will unlock heat resources beyond naturally occurring reservoirs, dramatically expanding geothermal potential.

Biofuels are uniquely positioned to help stopgap emissions in the sectors that cannot yet easily be electrified like aviation, maritime shipping, heavy trucking, and industrial heat, while emerging technologies become ready for widespread industrial-scale commercial deployment. Already a $100 billion industry in the U.S. and growing 8 percent annually, they offer an immediate, plug-in substitute for fossil fuels that works with existing infrastructure.

Ending reliance on oil, coal, and gas, and embracing technologies that will only improve and become cheaper over time, is not just smart climate policy. It is the best way to improve economic competitiveness and human prosperity for decades to come.

In recent years, a social media post about a new or revised tariff could upend a day’s work for Maithili Shenoy, until recently Target’s Vice President of Owned Brand Sourcing and Manufacturing for the Western Hemisphere.