VJEL Staff Editor: Emma Fisk

Faculty Member: Kevin Jones

 

Making America Green Again: Rejoining the Paris Agreement on Day One of the Biden-Harris Administration is a Welcome First Step

 

Trump’s rollback of environmental policies coupled with his Administration’s flippant attitude towards the climate crisis means that the United States is no longer on track to meet the climate goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. This agreement, signed by President Barack Obama in 2015 and now ratified by 189 countries, aims to keep global temperatures below levels that would be considered “catastrophic.” Participating countries commit to limit their respective greenhouse gas emissions to achieve this goal. Early on, President Trump declared his intent to remove the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. While this declaration did not take effect until November 4, 2020, the administration’s dismissal of climate concerns means that new efforts to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement will need to be more stringent to make up for lost time and reassure the world that the United States is a key player in the fight against global climate change.

The Obama Administration planned to meet its climate obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement through the Clean Power Plan, increased fuel economy standards, methane recapture, and other policies. The Biden-Harris Administration will need to go even further due to four years of backtracking on climate action. A 2019 report by the United Nations Environment Programme revealed that global emissions have increased on average by 1.5% per year for the last decade and will need to fall by at least 2.7% per year for the next decade in order to meet the more lenient standard set by the Paris Climate Agreement. Reestablishing a realistic climate action plan that ensures that the U.S. will meet its previous commitments under the Paris Agreement must be an early priority for the new administration.

As a candidate, President-elect Joe Biden promised to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement on the first day of his presidency.  The process for formally rejoining is relatively simple. Reentry becomes effective just thirty days after notifying the United Nations. Reestablishing the United States as a world leader in the effort to reverse the climate crisis will be much more complex.

The reversal of United States climate policy has lessened the pressure on other world leaders.  As the world’s top emitter, China’s goal is to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. Despite this lofty aspiration, China’s coal use and permitting actually increased in the last several years. In the coming years, it will become increasingly apparent whether or not countries party to the Paris Climate Agreement are on track to meet their goals. The United States must rise to reclaim its title as a climate leader by setting new more stringent goals and actually implementing policies to meet them.

President-elect Biden’s climate plans were ambitious; he proposed an “economy-wide” effort that would result in a power sector free of carbon pollution by 2035 and “net-zero” emissions for the country by 2050. This plan includes dedicating $2 Trillion over four years to fight climate change in tandem with economic recovery. In the wake of the economic crisis spurred by COVID-19, Biden’s plan relies on rebuilding the economy in a way that reduces carbon pollution while providing millions of jobs that reform the country’s energy, transportation, and infrastructure. Promoting wind and solar energy and rebuilding infrastructure as energy-efficient would result in new jobs for scientists, construction workers, and engineers while bringing the country closer to necessary climate benchmarks.

Biden’s plans also extend beyond the borders of the United States by using a trade agenda to encourage emissions reductions abroad. This agenda calls for tariffs on imports of carbon-intensive goods, trade agreements that mandate commitments to reduce carbon emissions, and a global ban on fossil fuel subsidies. The plan has the support of Democratic leaders in Congress who recognize that emissions reductions must occur globally and that the United States has the economic power to influence such reductions.

When President Trump announced his plan to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, there was concern that this move would dissuade other countries from meaningful participation under the Agreement. As the United States is responsible for around a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, maintaining participation is crucial for the Paris Climate Agreement to have its necessary effect. However, momentum has continued as other countries signed onto the Paris Climate Agreement even after President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States. When the Paris Climate Agreement was first signed in 2015, it accounted for 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Today, it contains signatures from countries that comprise 85% of such emissions. The implications of the United States’ absence from the Paris Climate Agreement bolstered involvement from other governments who were properly concerned with the threat of climate change.

State and local governments have made strides in realizing the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement on their own. These efforts have mitigated some of the damage done by inaction at the federal level. Governors of 25 states have committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the United States’ original commitment; a reduction of 26%-28% below 2005 levels by 2025. The coalitions formed in response to the announcement to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement represent 68% of the nation’s economy. States such as Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, and New York have imposed new legislation on climate pledges and 23 states have mandated reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Many governments around the world and smaller-scale actors in the United States are already committed to addressing the issue of global climate change. The implications of failing to do so are grave. With a Biden Adminstration that understands the risks posed by climate change on life and economy, rapid progress towards the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement can be accelerated rather than stymied. When the United States rejoins with renewed urgency spurred by unconscionable delay, the world can move forward with meaningful action to address our collective crisis.  The 2020 presidential election results alone will not guarantee that we meet this challenge, but they have certainly improved our outlook for global success.