"Methane is the main cause of near-term warming, and reducing that is something Biden can do from day one." "The federal government needs to go all out on existing authorities like the Clean Air Act," Keohane said. In addition to the power sector, Keohane said, the EDF has identified two other key short-term goals for Biden's domestic policy: transportation, particularly with legislation around tailpipe standards for cars and trucks, and methane reduction in industry. Bertram said "this is something where there could be visible results within three to four years. Key among his domestic climate pledges is his plan to make the US power sector climate neutral by 2035. With 2050 a long way off, all eyes are on what Biden does at home in the next few years. "For political purposes it is important to signal to fellow policymakers and other parts of society that you have a clear long-term vision of where things have to go." Fracking for natural gas releases harmful pollutants and emissions Image: Steve Heap/Zoonar/picture alliance Biden will need to satisfy workers in states where fracking is a major employer Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Deutsche Rohstoff AG What can Biden do domestically during his term?
"But, for a long-term target like this, there is no single action you could take today that would ensure this goal," Bertram said. Though much of Biden's plan to reach this remains a closely guarded secret, Keohane believes that a 50% cut in emissions over 2005 levels by 2030 should be the new administration's first goal.Ĭhristoph Bertram, a German scientist who leads international climate policy analysis in the Energy Systems Group at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), regards the 2050 target as a positive "signal." The 2050 goal by the US would bring it into line with many other big emitters Climate neutrality refers to net-zero emissions of all greenhouse gases and carbon-neutrality specifically refers to net-zero emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. "We are on the cusp of having the world's main three emitters - the EU, China and now the US - having made either climate-neutral or carbon-neutral pledges by 20," Keohane said. Matching the goal of the European Union and many other large global emitters, Biden has pledged to make the US climate-neutral by 2050 or earlier - something the environmental economist Nat Keohane describes as a "huge step." Keohane serves as the senior vice president for climate with the US-based global NGO the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).
The Democratic Party can expect to have effective control of both houses of the US Congress from January 20, allowing him more power to push his climate agenda.īut what has he promised - and can he make it happen? Can the US be climate-neutral by 2050?
Joe Biden has pledged that his inauguration would mark a sea change for climate policy. President Donald Trump repeatedly denied the science on climate change, and his 2017 plan to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement came into effect the day after the US presidential election in November 2020. The past years have been a troubled time for the United States in matters of climate protection policy.
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