America's Best Ally:

Our economy, national security and quality of life hang on answering these challenges.

1. Combating climate change and disruption

We are witnessing a period of unprecedented climate disruption and extreme weather events. 2020 was the worst fire year on record for the West Coast, with more than 10.3 million acres set ablaze, two dozen deaths, and unprecedented levels of air pollution, which evidence suggests will lead to excess morbidity and early mortality for those exposed. Simultaneously, the southern U.S. experienced one of the most intense hurricane seasons on record. Hurricane Laura, which made landfall in Louisiana in August, was the strongest hurricane since 1856.

2. Confronting COVID-19 and other public health issues

As the biggest health crisis in more than a century, the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of strengthening and reinvesting in our public health infrastructure. Decades of investment in basic biomedical research and rapid private sector innovation paved the way for speedy development of the coronavirus vaccines — the moon landing of our time. But the U.S. is still not prepared for the next widespread health emergency. From the next pandemic to the opioid epidemic, from a growing mental health crisis to chronic diseases that affect millions of Americans like heart disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer and rare diseases, our greatest health challenges will not and cannot be met without elevated, sustained funding and a national strategy.

3. Addressing food and water security

In the last two decades, more than 50% of the continental U.S. has already experienced drought conditions. Furthermore, nearly half of U.S. freshwater basins may not be able to meet monthly water demand by 2071. This will especially impact American agriculture as it accounts for three-quarters of the annual consumption from these basins, resulting in difficult decisions on resource allocation of our most vital forms of sustenance. The U.S. must ensure that it can continue to produce enough food and provide water to meet the needs of its population.

4. Securing sufficient energy production, utilization and storage

The U.S. has fallen to 12th in energy RD&D investment and is losing ground in areas such as clean energy innovation and nuclear power generation to countries like China. This is despite a history of successful returns on this kind of investment: A recent Department of Energy report found that every federal dollar invested in energy R&D from 1975 to 2015 yielded $32 in net economic benefits. Prioritizing investment in our energy infrastructure will have a broader global impact, such as cutting CO2 emissions, and on an individual-household level, including lowering energy bills.

We can solve these crises, but only if we dramatically expand public investment in science and technology.