Zhao, A., R. Cui, D. Modi, C. Campos Morales, C. Squire, A. Bryant, K. Ordonez-Olazabal, L. Hinkle, K. Calvin, D. Loughlin, W. Peng, B. Phelps, T. Stotland, S. Vo, J. Lou, and N. Hultman (2026). “America’s Better Pathway: Charting the Affordability, Health, and Emissions Benefits of a Clean Energy Transition.” Center for Global Sustainability, University of Maryland. 38 pp.
A better pathway for the United States is within reach. This pathway accelerates a remarkable ongoing transition already happening thanks to leadership from governors, mayors, and others committed to America’s clean energy future. And, this pathway can power our economy with domestic energy that is more secure, affordable, quicker to deploy, and clean. In doing so, it can deliver better health, energy, and emissions outcomes—providing an immediate, available route to lowering household energy costs.
This analysis details how America’s Better Pathway can deliver real and significant benefits to people across the entire country—across our diverse geographical areas, political contexts, and urban and rural communities. To do this, the report quantifies the affordability, health, and emissions outcomes across two scenarios: a Current Pathway, which reflects a continuation of existing policies and trends, including federal policy rollbacks and subnational policies, and a Better Pathway, which accelerates the clean energy transition through additional subnational policies and market drivers. Enhanced subnational policies in the Better Pathway scenario drive greater renewable energy development, improve energy efficiency, and promote electrification across sectors.