Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is a major contributor to climate change. In the past 200 years, carbon dioxide, which traps heat in the atmosphere, has skyrocketed to dangerous levels unprecedented in the history of human civilization. This is happening as a result of human activity—mainly burning coal, oil, and natural gas for transportation, energy, and plastics manufacturing, as well as emissions from big-scale agricultural processes.

While carbon dioxide is not harmful in and of itself, it’s a grave global health threat; its unchecked release into the atmosphere is polluting our climate. This greenhouse gas worsens air quality, increases heat and heat-related illnesses, and exacerbates all climate-related health concerns. Reducing carbon dioxide along with other related power plant emissions helps communities avoid asthma attacks, preterm births, low birth weight, and so much more. Curtailing carbon dioxide is essential to fighting climate change and safeguarding the health and future of our children.

The power plants that release carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions have historically been located near communities of color and low-income communities. As climate change worsens air quality, these communities are being disproportionately impacted. Hispanic children are 40% more likely to die from asthma than non-Hispanic white children. Black communities with greater exposure to air pollution have higher than average childhood asthma rates, and Black children have a 500% higher mortality rate from asthma than white kids. Outdoor workers, including farmworkers, are also highly vulnerable to extreme heat and heat-related illness.

In August 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, a stunning legislative achievement. President Joe Biden signed this bill into law on August 16, 2022. The Inflation Reduction Act included an unprecedented $369 billion investment in cutting climate pollution and put the U.S. on a path to cut greenhouse gas emissions, including CO2, 40% by 2030.

Many of these funds have already been allocated to clean air, energy, and transportation projects across the country, but Trump moved to unconstitutionally freeze the remaining money, and Congress closed many of the clean energy programs included in the Inflation Reduction Act at the end of 2025.

Now, Moms are working at the state and local levels to cut carbon pollution. Many U.S. states have set carbon reduction targets, and we works with state lawmakers and regulatory agencies to ensure those targets are reached. Find out more about our state work to cut carbon pollution by visiting our state webpages.