Summary
President Biden has announced an ambitious climate target to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 61-66% by 2035, despite the expectation that President-elect Trump will disregard it. This new goal, while more challenging than previous commitments, serves as a guiding principle for states, cities, and businesses in climate action, even if federal support may wane.
Highlights -🌍
- New Commitment: Biden aims for a 61-66% emissions cut by 2035. 🌱
- Paris Agreement: The target aligns with international climate commitments. 🌐
- State Action: States and cities can still pursue climate goals despite federal rollbacks. 🏙️
- Methane Focus: At least a 35% reduction in methane emissions is part of the plan. 💨
- Industry Investment: Continued private sector investment in clean energy is crucial. 💰
- Future Guidance: This target could inform federal policy after 2028. 📅
- Challenging Path: Achieving these goals will be difficult, especially without aggressive federal action. ⚠️
CLIMATEWIRE | President Joe Biden announced Thursday that he will strengthen the United States’ climate target by aiming to cut planet-warming pollution 61-66 percent by 2035, in a move that his successor is certain to disregard.
The new goal marks an increase over Biden’s 2021 pledge to slash greenhouse gases 50-52 percent by 2030 over 2005 levels, but is a downgrade from what modelers say would have been possible under a future president who acts aggressively to slow rising temperatures.
President-elect Donald Trump has indicated the opposite.
Read the full post at Scientific American.