The Biden Administration has a thorough, complete, and ambitious plan to deal with the climate crisis. But considering the rollbacks made by the Trump Administration, some are questioning whether it is realistic. Following the Georgia Senate Runoff Elections, the Democrats have gained control of the Senate and retain a majority in the House of Representatives. This makes it far easier for Democratic legislation to be created and put into effect. The incoming administration’s plans include making sure that “the U.S. achieves a 100% clean energy economy and reaches net-zero emissions no later than 2050 (Biden, Joseph R).” This plan will begin with executive orders signed on the first day of the Biden Administration, and the legislation created by Congress will follow.
The goal is to establish milestone targets and invest in climate research and clean energy. Similarly, Biden plans to work with countries worldwide to encourage them to do the same. One essential part of this plan is recommitting to the Paris Agreement. The Biden Administration plans to integrate climate-friendly legislation into foreign policy and, in doing so, change the approach to trade worldwide. The goal is for these changes to be complete by the end of the President-elect’s first term in office in 2025.
The Biden Administration also recognizes that climate change disproportionately affects people of color and low-income families. They vow to fight fossil fuel companies and other companies that pollute the air and water to protect communities from pollution. This includes ensuring that these targeted communities have clean water to drink and that hazardous chemicals do not continue to contaminate their air and their land. These efforts will hopefully lead to a more decisive fight for Climate Justice.
Although this climate plan seems ambitious, one can still ask if it is enough. It is practically the exact opposite of what the outgoing administration had done for climate change, which was only detrimental. President Trump pulled the country out of the Paris Agreement and ignored climate science. One of Biden’s quotes on his merchandise from the campaign trail was “science over fiction,” directly targeting the outgoing president’s view on one of the most critical issues facing our world.
Climate change is worsening at a rapid rate. CO2 emissions and sea levels continue to rise, and if we continue at this rate, humans will be significantly affected. Experts proved that because of the pollution in the South Bronx, where the majority of people are People of Color, 20 percent of children have asthma. The Biden Administration’s plan to tackle the crisis of climate change seems to be one that covers every base, including considering the causes, effects, and legislation that can be put in place. The question is, will it be able to happen at a fast enough pace that it will make a dramatic difference, and can we be a nation that will lead others to follow in our footsteps?
