What climate targets had been set by the Biden administration prior to this question of ambition?
Biden’s Climate Targets Were Already in Question — Now His Ambition Is, Too
The urgency of tackling climate change has been one of President Biden’s top priorities since he took office in January 2021. He promised to restore the country’s leadership on this issue and set more ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions, in line with the Paris Climate Agreement’s goal to keep global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.
The Questionable Climate Targets
However, Biden’s climate targets were already under scrutiny as they fell short of what some climate activists, scientists, and policymakers said was necessary to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
- He proposed to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions by 50% to 52% below 2005 levels by 2030, compared to the previous goal of a 26% to 28% reduction.
- This target, though more ambitious than the previous one, is still not enough to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest report, which warned that global temperatures could cross that threshold as soon as 2030 if greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed.
Moreover, Biden’s plan relied heavily on expanding renewable energy sources, which some critics said was insufficient without prioritizing the phase-out of fossil fuels, such as oil, gas, and coal, which still comprise the bulk of the country’s energy mix.
The Slipping Ambition
With these concerns already looming, Biden’s climate ambition faced a new challenge in mid-November 2021, when the President’s Build Back Better budget plan was dealt a blow by a key Democratic senator’s objections.
Senator Joe Manchin, a centrist from West Virginia, raised doubts about the $1.75 trillion social spending and climate bill’s price tag, as well as several climate proposals, such as a national clean electricity standard and tax credits for clean energy, that he said favored coastal states more than his coal-dependent region.
- Manchin’s opposition put the Senate’s 50-50 split in peril, where Democrats can only afford to lose one vote if they want to pass the Build Back Better bill via reconciliation, a parliamentary procedure that enables them to bypass the Republican filibuster.
- As a result, Biden’s climate targets and his $555 billion climate investments may be reduced or postponed, which would make it difficult for the US to achieve its emissions reduction goals and lead the global effort to combat climate change.
Besides, Biden’s climate agenda was facing other hurdles, including rising energy costs, natural disasters, and geopolitical tensions that could challenge the world’s ability to transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy.
Conclusion
Biden’s climate targets were already in question due to their limited scope, reliance on renewables, and lack of aggressive climate policies. Now, with Senator Manchin’s obstruction, his climate ambition is also slipping, casting doubt on the US’s ability to take the lead in the global fight against climate change.
As the COP26 climate conference ended with mixed results and the world grappled with the sobering reality of the IPCC report, it’s apparent that the road to a decarbonized future will be longer, harder, and costlier than previously thought. But, it’s also clear that inaction is not an option, and every action taken to reduce emissions, prevent deforestation, promote renewable energy, and electrify transport will count in the effort to safeguard our planet’s future.