August 6, 2024 — Letter

Surging public and private investment in consumer-facing green lending products1 promises to lower household energy bills, improve environmental quality and health, combat climate change, and better protect families from climate impacts. The inrush of capital and new products can also expose families to predatory financing, unsuitable products, and outright fraud. The urgency to deploy capital for climate mitigation and resilience projects must not overshadow the need for consumer protections. To ensure that Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) resources deliver the intended positive outcomes for vulnerable consumers and communities and effectively mitigate climate change, the government must implement robust consumer protections for green lending products.