On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden signed several executive orders designed at combating climate change, building on unilateral action. He took his first day in the office and heightening the federal government’s focus on the issue. Vice President Kamala Harris, the special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry, and national climate adviser Gina McCarthy were also present. President Biden said his actions will supercharge his administration’s ambitious plan to confront the existential threat of climate change. He said, “It’s about coming to the moment to deal with this maximum threat that is now facing us, climate change, with a greater sense of urgency. In my view, we’ve already waited too long to deal with this climate crisis and we can’t wait any longer. We see it with our own eyes, we feel it, we know it in our bones”.
President Biden also said the nation desperately needs a unified response to the climate crisis. He stressed the United States must be the leader in the global response and said, “It’s time to act”. Biden also directed the Interior secretary to freeze new oil and gas leases on public lands and offshore waters wherever possible, and review existing leasing and permitting practices related to fossil fuel development on federal lands and water. Biden stressed that his administration isn’t going to ban fracking, as he promised during the presidential campaign. The executive order of President Biden sets a goal of conserving at least 30% of land and water by 2030. It begins the process for the US to develop an emission reduction target and a climate finance plan.
It is noteworthy that Joe Biden established climate as a key element of foreign policy and national security. He instructed the director of national intelligence, Avril Haines to prepare a “National Intelligence Estimate” on the security implications of climate change. Biden’s special presidential envoy for climate, John Kerry will sit on the National Security Council in elevating climate in US foreign policy. President Biden formally created the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy and established the National Climate Task Force through his executive actions, composed of officials from 21 federal agencies and departments. Biden tapped McCarthy (former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency) as national climate adviser before he took the office. She will lead the Office of Domestic climate Policy. President Biden also signed a presidential memorandum protecting government scientists from political interference.