US FEDERAL PRIORITIES IN DECARBONIZATION, GREEN ECONOMY, AND SOCIAL INNOVATION: A REVIEW OF PUBLIC POLICIES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS

Abstract

The current U.S. energy transition has emerged as a key strategy for economic, environmental and institutional restructuring, driven by federal policies that have expanded investments in clean energy, low-carbon hydrogen, electric mobility, circular economy initiatives and socially oriented innovation. This study aimed to analyze the federal priorities of the United States regarding decarbonization, green economy and social innovation, identifying trends, implications and opportunities for sustainable business models. The research employed a qualitative approach through a narrative and documentary review based on federal legislation, government programs, official reports and scientific literature published between 2021 and 2024. The analysis was structured into three thematic axes decarbonization, green economy and social innovation allowing the identification of how federal policies such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the Federal Sustainability Plan have reorganized economic incentives, strengthened energy infrastructure, enhanced clean-technology competitiveness and supported community-based environmental initiatives. The findings reveal significant expansion of the green economy, increased federal investment in strategic sectors, reinforced climate governance and the emergence of opportunities for companies, startups and social organizations integrated into the environmental innovation ecosystem. It is concluded that the U.S. climate strategy combines industrial policy, technological innovation, social innovation and sustainability, contributing to the consolidation of a low-carbon economy and offering relevant avenues for future research on sustainable business models, multilevel governance and territorial impacts of the ongoing green transition.