Corporate sustainability pioneer Bob Eccles says its time for a robust dialogue between the right and the left on climate change. Here’s who he’s talking to on the right
Last year I made a point of learning about the views of conservative leaders who are on the front lines of tackling climate change. During this work, I’ve met some think tanks and nonprofits at the vanguard of the “EcoRight.”
One of the leading voices in this space is DEPLOY/US, which describes itself as bipartisan. Philip Rossetti at the center-right think tank The R Street Institute, which advocates for “free market environmentalism,” introduced me to DEPLOY/US’s founder and CEO, Dr. Andrea Yodsampa and Alex Bozmoski, Vice President of Programs,
I am impressed with DEPLOY/US’ strategic approach and growing momentum. They are working to accelerate conservative leadership on climate change as a necessary foundation for bipartisan action and playing a unique role in advancing the growth and impact of the EcoRight, the ecosystem of right-of-center civil society organizations working on climate change. This work is essential regardless of election outcomes.
DEPLOY/US is a “promising bet to improve US climate policy, increasing the likelihood of further bipartisan policy wins and making the US climate response more robust,” says Founders’ Pledge, a philanthropic advisory group.
Eccles: Andrea and Alex, thanks for taking the time to talk to me. Let’s start with a foundational question. Why should we care about bipartisanship on climate change, especially at this moment of intense polarization?
Yodsampa: Thanks so much for inviting this conversation, Bob. Bipartisan support in the U.S. for climate action is not a nice-to-have; it is a need-to-have. Between now and 2050, the U.S. will be governed by 14 Congresses and at least four Presidents. Any strategy predicated on sustained periods of one-party rule is extremely unlikely to succeed. Any strategy based on ratcheting climate policy gains via partisan pathways is too slow.
The good news is that bipartisan climate leadership is much more possible than recent headlines would make it appear. And, due to converging tailwinds, bipartisan climate leadership is increasingly within reach.
Eccles: I think you’re right that bipartisan climate action is both necessary and possible. But simply because something is possible doesn’t mean it will happen.
Yodsampa: DEPLOY/US was created and designed specifically for this purpose. Our goal is the enactment of durable, increasingly ambitious, bipartisan climate policies. Our strategy, though, is focused right of center, because that is where the need is.
A huge environmental movement, grown over decades and supported by billions of dollars in philanthropic investment, pushes, pulls, and guides Democrat policymakers to take action on climate change. That robust, well-funded, and coordinated climate action ecosystem does not exist on the political right — and it’s urgently needed.
A recent analysis published by the Center for Effective Philanthropy found that roughly 0.5% of US climate philanthropy has flowed to the organizations best suited to engage with right-of-center Americans. That means the civil society groups that exist to push, pull, and guide Republican policymakers to ambitious climate action lack the capacity to do so at scale.
The good news is that this is beginning to change. We’re seeing more and more funder interest, and that’s starting to translate into funding momentum for the field.
DEPLOY/US works closely with nonprofit groups and civil society leaders who are credible right-of-center and committed to the policy changes needed for US-led decarbonization.
Eccles: The statistic that only 0.5% of climate philanthropy has flowed is a real eye-opener. Please tell me how you’re addressing this problem.
Bozmoski: We fund Ecoright nonprofits as a re-grantor, with every dollar invested going towards principled and pragmatic climate action. We coordinate partner-grantees’ efforts, supplement their capacity with talent and infrastructure, and support their success in driving narrative and policy change.
Eccles: Andrea, how did you come to found DEPLOY/US?
Yodsampa: Ten years ago — when my now 17-year-old son was seven — I was reading him a book and climate change came up. In that moment, I realized how important it was to pivot back to my roots working on climate. I took six months off to study the landscape, doing my own strategic gap analysis. I spoke with business leaders, retired military officers, policy experts, activists, entrepreneurs, investors, scientists, and virtually anyone who touched climate change or clean energy in a strategic or leadership role. I was trying to answer one question: “Where is the leverage? What isn’t being done, or isn’t being done well enough, that has the potential to mitigate global climate change?”
Three things became clear. First, the world can’t get there fast enough on decarbonization without the United States in a leadership role.. Second, policy change is essential. And third, given how deeply divided our country is, durable policy change requires at least some degree of bipartisan support.
Eccles: Alex, you come from a very different background. Why did you join DEPLOY/US?
Bozmoski: For a long time, I was a conspicuous climate guy in conservative circles. But it’s a lot less lonely today than 18 years ago when I started working on climate. Before finding my way to Ecoright, I developed offset projects in East Africa and taught energy-related courses through technical assistance programs.
In 2012, I more-or-less stalked Bob Inglis, a former member of the House of Representatives from South Carolina, who had just politically martyred himself by sticking his neck out on climate, and Bob already had a great idea and some core support to start something to represent conservatives and libertarians who care a lot about climate issues. He brought me in, and we launched the Energy and Enterprise Initiative at George Mason University.
The Ecoright didn’t exist much back then. The field in 2012 was really just Rob Sisson and his team at the then-recently rebranded ConservAmerica; a few folks with Eli Lehrer at the just-established R Street Institute (which formed after a split from the Heartland Institute over Eli’s and others’ principled stance on climate change); Catrina Rorke was at the American Action Forum; and the Energy and Enterprise Institute Bob and I were starting which grew into RepublicEn.
Eccles: Alex, I believe you coined the term “Ecoright.” Who are they?
Bozmoski: Incredible Americans and our best shot at America-led decarbonization. They’re bridge-builders, and they lead by example. They include long-time conservationists, climate policy wonks, experts in clean energy technologies, grassroots organizers, political operatives, business leaders, and others.
There are now about a dozen national and right-of-center organizations in the Ecoright field, plus many right-of-center organizations in key states. There are also many leaders and efforts that may not be right-of-center but engage key conservative constituencies, for example, in national security, small business, hunting, angling, and faith communities.
As individuals, institutions, and a field, the Ecoright punches way above its weight class. Ecoright-guided Republican leadership translates into a number of bipartisan climate breakthroughs in states and in Congress.
Yodsampa: We’ve recently completed, with support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, a benchmarking survey of the field, including its composition, activities, and policy priorities. There’s huge potential for this field to help transform US climate politics, but only if key capacity gaps are filled. That’s why we’re so encouraged that funders are starting to recognize and invest much more seriously in this work.
Eccles: I have had the pleasure of getting to know a number of Ecoright leaders such as Alex Flint of the Alliance for Market Solutions; Danielle Butcher Franz (I’ve done Part 1 and Part 2 interviews with her) and Chris Barnard of the American Conservation Coalition; Heather Reams of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions; Drew Bond, John Hart and Nick Loris of ClearPath; and Devlin Hartman, Eli Lehr at the R-Street Institute.
Yodsampa: The people you’ve been talking with are examples of the exceptional leaders in this space.
Eccles: Please explain how DEPLOY/US fits into the picture.
Yodsampa: First, we drive funding to Ecoright field nonprofits to advance their climate work (we only fund decarbonization-related work) both as an intermediary that funds directly and as a catalyst, educating funders about the opportunities in the field and advising on pathways to bipartisan results.
Second, our team coordinates or orchestrates among partner grantees to achieve decarbonization policy outcomes. This model is proving quite effective in red states, delivering climate wins ranging from incremental to huge.
Third, we build and share infrastructure that helps field organizations become more efficient and effective. For example, early on we hired a lead for learning and assessment to assess fieldwide progress and sharing learning across the field.
Eccles: This sounds good, but how high of a mountain is this to climb? What is your honest assessment of where Republicans stand on climate change?
Bozmoski: Climate change is an increasingly important issue for Republican voters, especially young Republicans. As of 2023, two-thirds of Republicans under age 30 favor the US taking steps to become carbon neutral. These and other forces are creating electoral pressure on GOP policymakers.
Eccles: I’ve been following the work of the Conservative Climate Caucus for some time. I recently wrote a piece about its founder and Chair Emeritus, Rep. John Curtis (R-UT), who is now running for the U.S. Senate. And I’m very pleased about this. More generally, what do you think is driving Republican interest in climate change?
Bozmoski: There is far more support for climate action among key segments of Republican voters than is amplified in the public arena and in our politics. The Senate has introduced legislation to fast-track the next steps in permitting reform. In addition, the private sector is marching toward a clean-energy future, and the business community is increasingly embracing the associated economic opportunities. And now, federal incentives are disproportionately driving climate investment dollars into red states, creating economic opportunities that bring new Republicans into the clean energy fold.
Yodsampa: If we accelerate the growing investments in this space and grow this young Ecoright field, we can get to a very different place where the national conversation isn’t about the nature or seriousness of the climate problem. It’s a debate about the wisest policy solutions, with that debate translating into action that endures across changes of power in Washington, D.C.
Eccles: I agree, but is bipartisanship really possible on climate — or anything else?
Yodsampa: Yes, absolutely! There is more bipartisan activity on climate change and other topics than you’d think. For example, just in the last Congress, bipartisan coalitions materialized to support major legislation on infrastructure, marriage equality, science and tech competition, gun safety, and democratic reform.
Each of those laws was enabled by civil society infrastructure. There was deliberate, targeted organizing that applied pressure and helped deliver the necessary votes.
Eccles: What kind of capabilities are still needed on Ecoright and what are DEPLOY/US’s plans and priorities to grow this field?
Yodsampa: We’re working on a big capital raise to ensure the Ecoright field has the capacity to seize federal opportunities now, such as permitting and transmission reform, foreign polluter fees, and nature-based solutions, as well as significant opportunities in conservative states.
At the same time, we must be ready for risks and windows under different political scenarios, and we shouldn’t wait to build the needed capacity. In any political scenario, a broader bipartisan mandate will be helpful and likely essential to ensure we have climate policies that pass and last.
Bozmoski: As Andrea said, infusing major capital into this field quickly is essential. In D.C. and state capitals, we need to invest in direct advocacy and lawmaker education, influential stakeholder mobilization, policy research, grassroots, and media. All these capabilities require significant new investments, but policy research and grassroots are the most flagrantly underfunded.
Eccles: Any closing thoughts before we wrap it up?
Bozmoski: The lingering partisan divide around climate change may seem daunting, but the solutions needn’t be. American civil society has so much agency and power to change the politics of this issue and create the bipartisan mandate for action we so desperately need. Whatever the country and the world is dealing with in five, 10, or more years, I’m certain that a well-coordinated and better-funded Ecoright field means more ambitious US leadership on climate change.
Yodsampa: The momentum is now building for major philanthropic investments in the Ecoright field, which has the potential to transform US climate politics and advance more ambitious and sustained US climate leadership under any election scenario
Eccles: Thank you for your time. I am very enthused about what you and everyone else in the Ecoright is doing. My goal is to help foster a robust dialogue between the Ecoright and the left on climate change.
Note: This article originally appeared on the website RGE
