Strategic Focus: The Sustainability-Related Implications Of The 2024 Elections Go Well Beyond The Presidency
Access this research
Access all Corporate Sustainability Leaders content with a strategic subscription or buy this single report
Need help or have a question about this report? Contact us for assistance
Executive Summary
The 2024 US elections will profoundly impact all branches of the government, from the president down to state-led positions. Given the country’s polarized political landscape, many of these contests will significantly influence its approach to sustainability and climate-related issues. While the race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris has garnered the most attention, other down-ballot elections – including for the US Senate and House of Representatives – will also have short-term and lasting impacts on sustainability-related issues. This report emphasizes the critical role the 2024 elections will play in shaping the US’s sustainability policies, as well as key considerations for US firms moving forward.
The 2024 US elections will have significant impacts on sustainability progress and climate action
All eyes are on the presidential election
Down-ballot elections could shift balance in Congress and at the state level
Elections will have lasting impacts on the judicial system
Firms should not abandon or dilute their sustainability programmes
Figure 2. Key sustainability-related Executive Orders issued by President Trump
Figure 3. Key sustainability-related Executive Orders issued by President Biden
Figure 4. How President Trump and Vice President Harris may act on certain sustainability-related issues
Figure 5. Where candidates in competitive congressional races fall on certain ESG topics
Figure 6. Key sustainability-related decisions made by the US Supreme Court, 2018-2024
About the Authors
Jessica Pransky
Principal Analyst
Jessica is a Principal Analyst at Verdantix, specializing in providing insights to sustainability leaders and analysing ESG and sustainability reporting software. She advises ...
View Profile
Kim Knickle
Research Director
Kim Knickle is a Research Director at Verdantix, bringing more than two decades of analyst experience to the evolving world of sustainability. Her current research spans ESG a...
View ProfileOther related content
2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for sustainability leaders. After a turbulent 2025, characterized by regulatory uncertainty and politicization, the focus is shifting toward...
23 January, 2026
As the EU Sustainability Omnibus Package is being finalised, join us to find out what action you need to take now, and how to prioritise in an era of rapid change. Find out: What t...
Upcoming / 24 February, 2026
Utilities are facing unprecedented grid constraints and long DER connection backlogs, driven by rapid growth in solar, EVs, and storage. Traditional systems alone struggle to provi...
Upcoming / 10 February, 2026
Episode 29 The Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) role has undergone a radical evolution. Once focused primarily on voluntary reporting, policy formation and goal-setting, today’s ...
04 December, 2025
The beginning of 2025 saw significant uncertainty surrounding sustainability regulations. Twelve months later, that uncertainty hasn’t disappeared – in fact, the year has highlight...
27 November, 2025
November 18, 2025 was a notable – and unusually eventful – day for California’s climate disclosure laws, SB 253 and SB 261. Two major developments unfolded simultaneously: CARB hel...
27 November, 2025