As the US presidential election nears, profound foreign policy questions hang in the air. The debate for the cameras has been who is tougher on China. That is political theater, not the question that matters.

For the past six years, Rhodium Group has provided an independent annual assessment of US greenhouse gas emissions and progress towards achieving the country’s climate goals. This year, we focus solely on the largest source of uncertainty in the current outlook for US emissions: COVID-19’s impact on the economy.

As Congress turns its attention towards legislation to stimulate a robust economic recovery, there is an opportunity to do so in a way that both creates jobs and addresses longstanding environmental injustices.