Climate Policy in the Biden Administration: A Visit with David Hayes, former Special Assistant to President Biden for Climate Policy

From January 2021 until the end of September, David Hayes was Special Assistant to President Biden for Climate Policy. In this role, he played a crucial part in advancing President Biden’s climate agenda, including shaping the administration’s methane emissions reduction action plan, launching a decarbonization initiative between the White House and the health care sector, establishing a whole-of-government strategy to help communities be more resilient in the face of climate impacts, and promoting nature-based solutions as a climate tool.

David joined us in person to talk about the Biden Administration’s climate policy to date, the next steps, and key challenges ahead. The founding director of NYU Law’s State Energy & Environmental Impact Center, David also has taught at NYU Law and Stanford Law School. He has a long history of federal public service, including serving twice as the Senate-confirmed Deputy Secretary and Chief Officer of the Department of the Interior in the Clinton and Obama administrations.