America intends to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent compared to 2005 levels over the next nine years. With this goal, US President Joe Biden not only signals a complete shift in climate policy to his predecessor, Donald Trump, but also multiplies Barack Obama’s decisions at the Paris Climate Summit in 2015. In addition, the US electricity sector has to be so. Zero emissions by 2035 and by 2050 the entire country will be completely carbon neutral.
There is talk of “four lost years in the past” – but Washington is now scrambling to make up for lost time and damage from the Trump presidency as much as possible. At the end of the summit, Biden also highlighted Russia’s cooperation. After speaking with President Vladimir Putin, Biden confirmed that he looks forward to working with him.
The Green Deal USA: Lots of Money for Trains, Electric Cars, and the Power Grid
On his first day in the White House, the president wanted to send a clear signal: By presidential decree, he ordered an immediate review of all environmental protection laws that Donald Trump has repealed over the past four years. Since then, Biden has been talking about climate change and green technologies almost every day. America wants to restore its innovative reputation – green infrastructure and industrial policy plus green technologies where job sources play the main roles.
In the $ 2 trillion infrastructure plan, 80 billion were earmarked for renewing US rail transport and 100 billion for modernizing the US electricity grid. Another 100 billion will go to poor countries to support their climate policy. In America, residential homes and public buildings will be equipped with solar systems in the future. In addition, $ 174 billion will be made available to electric vehicle charging stations nationwide.
General Motors and Toyota are also turning over to Biden
So far, the share of e-cars in the US has been a meager 2%. This must change now. The auto market in California is noted with special interest. In the nation’s largest auto market, emissions regulations have been in place stricter for years compared to the national level in the rest of the USA. Trump tried to end California’s authority under the nationwide “Clean Air Act” in court and annul an agreement between the carmakers and California – a deal his predecessor, Obama, had negotiated. GM and Toyota were originally legal supporters of Donald Trump – but once Biden won the election, they withdrew their legal support and changed their stance. The legal wrangle is now over.
Several other companies also want to support Biden’s ambitious climate plan. In addition to Apple, Johnson & Johnson, and Walmart, more than 300 major US employers have signed an open letter to the government demanding that they also reduce global warming emissions by 50%. McDonald’s, Google and the retail giant Target are also behind the Biden project.
Even during the Trump era, the United States went its own way in protecting the climate
John Kerry, the new government’s climate commissioner, is optimistic – but at the same time he underscores the urgency of the new goals. A 30-year commitment to reducing emissions is remarkable, but not nearly enough. Kerry said the period between 2020 and 2030 is very critical. ”Trump lied to the American people and simply ignored the scientific facts. The former Secretary of State warns:“ This is the greatest moment in our life to change our economy. It is possible. We just have to start now. “
More than 30 US states have already shared these views under the Trump presidency, and they are already working their own way in protecting the climate. For years, they’ve been setting their own emissions targets and rules with individual state laws. Some countries even want to be climate neutral before the new Biden plan. They’ve introduced their emissions trading systems with tax breaks to expand renewable energies – and on top of that, California, the state with one of the ten largest economies in the world.
Biden’s two-day online summit is seen as preparations for the major UN climate change conference in Glasgow in November. But its new EPA regulations should go into effect early next week.
