President Joe Biden recently announced what climate pundits believe to be his most ambitious and boldest climate agenda in American history. Dubbed the ‘capstone’ of his legacy as President, his administration announced that it would cut greenhouse emissions by a record 61% to 66% by 2035.
To achieve this, the strategy laid out by the Biden administration includes a $450 Billion private-public partnership investment in clean energy, a shift in adopting renewable energy resources, and an upgrade of federal electric charging infrastructure to help Americans switch to electric vehicles. On the industrial front, stronger manufacturing reforms will help reduce carbon emissions and promote self-reliance on innovative, sustainable technologies.
John Podesta, senior adviser to the president for international climate policy, has accepted independent assessments showing that the US has fallen behind in meeting its commitments to slash greenhouse emissions by 50% by 2030. He urged state governments and the business community to do more, saying, “Show how many Americans still care about the future of our planet,” as Matteo Civillini of Climate Home News quoted.
While reiterating Biden’s commitment to honoring the Paris Agreement, another official from the White House Climate Policy, Ali Zaidi, said the US is on course to achieve a net zero emission by 2050 – a key metric of the agreement.
For our readers, the Paris Agreement is a multinational endeavor by countries worldwide to limit global warming to under 1.5 degrees Celsius per yearly average. Anything above that can have devastating consequences for the human race.
The US has been at the receiving end of climate change effects, with droughts, floods, heatwaves, and storms creating havoc in American lives. In 2024, hurricanes and storms have claimed over 200 lives and billions in property and infrastructure damages. This will only get worse if stringent measures are not implemented now.
But as the Trump administration gets ready to take the helm of the country, climate change champions fear the government to take a back seat. In his first stint as president, Trump withdrew US support for the Paris Agreement, citing a lack of understanding of climate science and dismissing cost-intensive efforts based on skepticism. Even in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, Trump has been vocal about rolling back on Biden’s climate ambitions.
The US faces great criticism from the international climate change community as it struggles to take a steady leadership role. The 2035 Emissions target reflects an ambitious vision for combating climate change. Still, its success depends on how serious the next government is and whether the world can expect to see some unison in political thought and will to continue addressing climate change as humanity’s worst nightmare.
With Donald Trump set to return to the White House in January 2025, it remains to be seen how the US will proceed with its support for the Paris Agreement and its role in reversing the overall effects of climate change.
