The Role of Partnership Programs
In the early 1990s, an innovative idea took hold with the advent of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Climate Partnership Programs. These voluntary programs were designed to broaden and diversify the agency’s climate approach—working hand-in-hand with the private sector and others to achieve more than would be possible through federal regulations alone.
These programs seek out and overcome market barriers, drive policy at the state and local level, and capture and channel marketplace ingenuity towards climate action. The interplay of government, business, and market forces brought together through EPA has literally changed history. Now, 30 years later, the success of these climate protection programs demonstrates the ongoing power of partnership.
From popular programs like ENERGY STAR to tightly focused industry partnerships, these programs have delivered significant environmental and financial benefits: EPA’s Climate Partnership Programs have helped Americans save more than $500 billion and achieve more than 6 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
The programs drive private sector investment in energy efficiency, clean energy, and new technologies—investments that help strengthen the economy and create jobs.
In fact, more than 40% of all energy sector jobs relate to clean energy. Of those, energy efficiency employs the most, with 2.4 million jobs as of 2019. The ENERGY STAR program alone accounts for 35% of energy efficiency jobs: In 2019, more than 800,000 Americans were employed in manufacturing or installing ENERGY STAR certified equipment.
As EPA prepares for the next phase in the fight against climate change, these partnership programs will continue to play an integral part of EPA’s toolkit. With decades of expertise, cross-sector coalitions of stakeholders, and a set of nationally recognized frameworks, EPA’s climate partnership programs are poised to hit the ground running to deliver emissions reductions and economic benefits in the commercial, residential, manufacturing, transportation, and power sectors.
Learn How EPA's Climate Partnerships:
- Round out EPA's policy portfolio
- Drive private sector leadership
- Spur economic growth and investment
- Prioritize equity and inclusion
Learn Even More:
Download The Power of Partnership for infographics, stories, and an insider view of these programs at work.