Democrats are, at least in rhetoric, in favor of policy that promotes fast decarbonization. Yet in practice, Democrat-controlled states on the whole aren’t doing better than republic-controlled states on clean energy.
To gain clarity on the politics of decarbonization in blue states, BESI invited expert climate policymakers and researchers to weigh in on this important issue. Their conversation, recorded on May 20, 2025, and preserved here, dives deep into how Democrat-controlled have shaped decarbonization policy and implementation, particularly in blue trifectas.
As one speaker notes, bigger majorities in California don’t necessarily translate to stronger climate policies. Other speakers on the decarbonization panel observe how blue trifecta states have often enacted strong greenhouse gas reduction targets, but struggled to implement the policies to actually achieve them.
The panel emphasizes that resolving intra-coalition tensions is critical to effective governance and problem-solving. Winning a Democratic trifecta in Washington State did not automatically translate into stronger climate policy because industrial labor unions, which hold significant sway in the Democratic coalition, stood in the way of passing the market-based climate policies leading environmental groups favored. Bringing unions on board required shifting to targeted sectoral reforms that included labor requirements. Unlike market-based policies, these successfully moved through the legislature. This suggests more broadly that unions can help Democrats deliver clean energy infrastructure in the states that they govern — even if they tend to oppose certain types of climate policies.
For more on our Blue Trifectas Convening, check out organizer Samuel Trachtman’s recap of the event, published in the BESI blog.
Panelists
Dave Weiskopf, Senior Policy Director, Climate Cabinet
Lara Skinner, Executive Director at Climate Jobs Institute. Cornell University
Sam Ricketts, Co-Founder and Partner, S2 Strategies
Will Toor, Executive Director, Colorado Energy Office
Moderator
Samuel Trachtman, Senior Researcher, Berkeley Economy & Society Initiative