Joe Biden, the President of the United States, has to deliver on his campaign promises. On top of his list of priorities is climate change. One of his first actions was to reverse the decisions of the previous administration. Joe Biden has hit the “pause” button on the Mexico border wall to stop further work on it. He has passed several executive orders on the subject of climate change.
Addressing global warming was his campaign promise, and he has initiated the action. He realizes that global warming is a danger to society's well-being because of its links with climatic disorders. In experts' opinions, droughts, bush fires, sea level rise etcetera originate from irregular distribution of temperatures. These are due to greenhouse gases generated by burning fossil fuels. The result is the loss of lives and properties and damages to the infrastructure. The 2015 Paris accord on climate change laid down some norms. It is necessary to switch over to Renewable Energy like electricity or solar power or nuclear power.
These would mean a healthier environment. However, Donald Trump did not sign the accord, and Joe Biden wants to make amends.
During his first days in office, Joe Biden has begun to take positive steps to give a direction to his agenda. He has issued orders, and his administration has to provide it with a concrete shape for implementation. The overall plan is to reduce planet-warming carbon emissions progressively to zero by 2035. The next target is to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
It will not be an easy task for Biden
Congress has to define new climate legislation. Then only it would be possible to reverse the rollbacks of Trump. These involve emissions from vehicles, power plants and drilling for oil and gas.
In the absence of new legislation, a future administration could nullify the efforts of Biden. CNBC mentions about the phasing out of fossil fuels like coal and oil with clean energy technology. This might pose problems from moderate Senate Democrats and Republicans from fossil-fuel states because of possible harm to the industry in their home state.
The climate plan of Biden is taking shape
The agenda of the new administration on climate agenda is gradually taking shape. Joe Biden wants electric vehicles to replace the existing fleet of fossil powered ones of the government. The Democratic Party tried to get legislation on the subject passed during the tenure of Barack Obama but failed even though they had control of the Congress.
It will be an uphill task for Joe Biden. The Biden administration has a slim Democratic Senate majority and getting the requisite numbers would be a challenge. Anyway, the automobile industry is upbeat. General Motors expects to offer electric vehicles EVs by 2035.
Prince Charles encouraged by the plans of Biden
Prince Charles has written to US President Joe Biden on the global climate crisis. The Prince of Wales feels Biden could be a powerful ally in convincing governments and big business to focus their attention on the climate emergency. Prince Charles is six years junior to the American president and admires his decision to bring the US back to the Paris Climate Agreement. A royal source says - “The two men share the same indisputable view, that the global climate crisis is the biggest threat to humankind and needs to be dealt with utter urgency.” They would meet at a Buckingham Palace reception ahead of the G7 summit in Cornwall in June.
Their earlier meeting was at the Oval Office when Charles had come for a 2015 tour of the United States during the tenure of President Barack Obama. The combined efforts of Prince Charles and Joe Biden could become a real force on the global stage to tackle climate change.