Anna-Sung Park ‘22
President Joe Biden has pledged that he will fight for many things--mask mandates, racial justice, and repairing relationships with other countries, to name a few--yet one of the topics he mentioned in his inauguration speech is not often talked about by politicians. What is this peculiar, semi-taboo topic? Climate change.
Former President Trump was infamous for refusing to believe in climate change, despite scientists’ pleas, so much of the United States and the world is eager to see what Biden will do: how he’ll reverse Trump’s actions against climate change, and how his plans for the future will play out. This flurry of executive orders might be a bit overwhelming, so here’s a list of some of what Biden has done already, and has promised to do in the future.
1) Reentered the Paris Climate Agreement
On Biden’s first day in office, he returned to the Paris Climate Agreement, which President Trump notoriously pulled out of (June of 2017) on the basis that the agreement would undermine the U.S. economy. The agreement was created by the United Nations to limit the global temperature increase to less than 2 degrees Celsius, or about 37º Fahrenheit, as stated on their website. The main fault with the agreement is that there is no punishment for a country pulling out or refusing to participate, which is why Trump was allowed to leave. Now that the U.S. rejoined, Biden will follow through and make changes to reduce the United States’ carbon emissions, a choice that reflects the majority of U.S. citizens who support the agreement. Reentering the agreement cannot happen instantly, but thirty days after January 20, on February 19 of this year, the United States will join the agreement once more.
2) Revoked Construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline
The Keystone XL Pipeline, also known as the Dakota Access Pipeline, has been the focus of protests for over a decade. As the Natural Resources Defense Council explains, President Obama blocked its construction due to concerns raised over damage to the climate, ecosystems, public health, and drinking water. However, Trump signed an executive order allowing the construction of the pipeline. On his first day in office, Biden revoked the permit for the pipeline’s construction, preventing the massive pipe from running from Canada to Texas and hundreds of thousands of gallons of acidic oil potentially leaking over the entire country.
3) Halted the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Sale
One of Trump’s last acts in office was approving the sale of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This would allow companies to drill for oil and gas in practically untouched land that shelters polar bears, caribou, and many other animals that would lose their shelter and food if drilling were allowed. Also, according to Henry Fountain of The New York Times writes, if drilling was permitted, companies would strip away the protective ice layers that reflect the sun back into space, which helps stabilize the planet’s climate. Luckily, Biden halted the sale of the land, and the refuge will remain as pristine as it is.
4) Banned Offshore Drilling
Offshore drilling has been the source of controversy for decades, with climate activists protesting the oil spills and pollution that kills hundreds of thousands of animals and ecosystems per year. Biden has put a temporary ban on offshore drilling companies that prevents them from getting new permits. Forbes clarifies that companies that currently have permits can still drill offshore, but no, companies cannot get new permits. Even though offshore drilling hasn’t come to a complete stop, this is significant progress in the fight to preserve underwater ecosystems surrounding the United States.
5) Set a Goal to Achieve 100% Clean Energy by 2050
Biden promised on his campaign website that he and his administration will work to make the United States a country with 100% clean energy (net-zero emission) by no later than 2050. Of course, he will not still be in office at that time, yet he is planning on implementing a rapid deployment of clean energy sources into communities greatly impacted by climate change, as well as making historic investments into clean energy and climate research. This is a huge promise, especially because the U.S. is the second-largest contributor to climate change, and Biden’s plan will hopefully not just change the US, but also motivate other countries to battle this global problem together. While many believe this goal is too lofty to achieve, working towards the goal is what matters; the date isn’t important, but the progress is.
6) Plans on Creating Zero-Emission Public Transportation
Another soon-to-be-implemented plan is Biden’s proposal to increase public transport in cities. The Natural Resources Defense Council reports that not only does better public transport limit the number of cars polluting the air, but Biden has also promised to make the new transportation options completely free of emissions, lowering potential pollution even more.
President Biden has promised to do a lot for the climate. While some people claim he is being too ambitious, others say that it is better to aim high than low, and even if he doesn’t achieve everything he’s set on doing, the things he’s already done are significant victories for climate activists, and we can only hope that he will continue and deliver on his promises.
Comments