U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen emphasized Thursday that U.S. public investments that draw private-sector capital are essential for fostering long-term sustainable and inclusive growth.

In a Financial Times interview, former Fed chair Janet Yellen argued that climate change is an existential challenge and that addressing it effectively involves massive private investments.

Yellen, who spoke after joining the advisory board of Angeleno Group, a private equity firm focused on low-carbon technology, said the tariffs could be particularly problematic for the US clean en ...