Use procurement power. Governments at all levels—national, state, and local—buy enormous amounts of fuel, cement, and steel. They build and operate planes and trucks and cars, and they consume gigawatts’ worth of electricity. This puts them in the perfect position to drive emerging technologies into the market at relatively low cost—especially if you factor in the social benefits of bringing these technologies to scale. Defense departments can commit to buying some low-carbon liquid fuels for planes and ships. State governments can use low-emissions cement and steel in construction projects.
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