Fixing our planet is going to cost a lot of money. It’s not hard to find projections of those costs that run into the trillions of dollars. A quick literature survey turned up estimates of $4.5 trillion to decarbonize the U.S. electric grid, another $3 trillion for climate change mitigation, just in the U.S. over the next decade, and about $4 trillion needed to redress systematic inequalities in our education system. That is starting to sound like a lot of money, even for the $23 trillion U.S. economy, although the amount is still less than the cost of replacing our planet or moving to a new one.
Historically, the U.S. invests about 17% to 20% of its gross domestic product, which amounts today to around $5 trillion annually. Addressing some of the world’s biggest environmental and social challenges over the next decade would require the U.S. to increase that investment closer to 22% to 24%, adding another $1 trillion annually. While very recent history suggests a renewed appetite for investment in the U.S., especially led by the government, another $10 trillion might be too large for most politicians and voters to embrace.
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