It is *so* exciting to see a new Administration taking shape in the United States -- especially one that takes science seriously, and is laser focused on addressing climate change!

Finally!

But I want to urge a little bit of caution here.

Yes, we have a great shot at meaningful action by the Biden / Harris administration. And that's fantastic!

But, a lot of it may hinge on who controls the Senate.

Not all of it, of course, as Biden can still do a great deal with his executive authority. But a lot.

And I sometimes worry that a lot of us focus on Washington, D.C., as the epicenter of all solutions.

But it's usually not. It's often a follower, not a leader. And I think we need to move beyond this "beltway head" thinking.

And let's see how we can make it better.

I urge folks to look for ways to advance federal action, of course, but also action at the local & state level.

After all, many of the levers for climate action need local policy changes. Think zoning boards, building codes, renewable standards, transportation investments...

It turns out that policy actions at *all* levels matter. Federal decisions are needed, of course, but alone they won't be enough.

And let's be on the lookout for ideas that could take advantage of policy action at multiple scales, creating big synergies.

In other words, how can policy changes at the local and state level reinforce changes coming from Washington, D.C.?

And vice versa?

And let's look for actions *outside* of the policy realm as well.

Yes, we need big policy changes -- from local to national and beyond -- but we also need to much more.

We also need changes in business, capital investment, technology, behavior, and beyond.

And again, what synergies can we find there as well?

How can businesses, investors, philanthropists, non-profits, trade unions, etc., leverage what Washington may do?

And how can Washington leverage what these different groups are doing as well?

Bottom line: it's wonderful to see the potential of climate action under Biden / Harris. I'm thrilled! It's about time.

But let's be sure we see the bigger picture, and the opportunities it may provide.

Even in the best case, we need action outside the federal level, and outside the policy sphere, to address climate change.

Policy change from Washington will, by itself, not be enough to completely address the problem.

It is necessary, but not sufficient.

And what if the GOP creates more roadblocks in D.C., slowing climate action?

Well, in case we don't get all we want at the federal level, a portfolio of other actions (local, state, and non-policy accelerators) are needed even more.

This gives us a more resilient path forward.

So, let's be sure to develop a broad, multi-scale, multi-lever approach to climate action.

We need many solutions, of course, but we also need multiple "accelerators" of these solutions, working at multiple scales, to get the job done.

p.s. To see more about this, check out The Drawdown Review, where we showcase a suite of climate solutions, and discuss the need for multiple "accelerators", to address climate change.

It's free, and available right here: http://drawdown.org