Climate change has been a controversial topic for years now and with a new president-elect, Joe Biden, you may wonder what he will do in the next four years to confront it. President Donald Trump over the years has evidently taken steps backwards regarding climate change. He has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate accord and rolled back the Obama Clean Power Plan, which limited carbon emissions in power plants, because it was driving energy prices through the sky. However, president-elect Joe Biden understands that climate change is an existential threat to humanity. Although President Trump doesn’t “think the science knows,” Biden believes that we will pass the point of no return within the next 8 to 10 years if the climate crisis is not dealt with accordingly. 

In 2015, the United States signed onto the Paris Climate Agreement, however during his presidency, Donald Trump withdrew from the accord. Under the agreement out of the 197 countries signed on, 179 countries have set a plan that contributes to confront climate change, apart from Russia, Turkey, and Iran. The long-term goal of the agreement is to keep the increase in the global average temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius and to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, causing a substantial reduction in effects of climate change. Biden plans to  address the climate emergency by rejoining the Paris Climate accord. 

The Biden Plan will ensure that the U.S. achieves net-zero emissions and a 100% clean energy economy by 2050. Biden does believe that the environment and economy are connected, which is why he plans to create 10 million jobs while achieving net-zero emissions in terms of energy production. These jobs will be a part of the clean energy sector and will offer good wages. 

Biden will also invest in infrastructure that will withstand the impacts of climate change. His plan includes weatherizing four million buildings, which will emit significantly less gas and oil emissions. Biden plans to ensure that vulnerable communities, such as low-income communities and communities of color, are not taken advantage of by fossil fuel companies who pollute the environment and do not share important information regarding health and environmental risks. More specific items on the agenda include turning federal fleets electric and adding 50,000 charging stations for electric vehicles on highways. 

President-elect Biden understands that as president, he has a moral obligation to combat climate change for the well-being of American citizens. If the climate crisis is not dealt with steadily we will pass the point of no return soon enough, but from what the Biden Plan and from what Biden has been saying himself, he will not allow for this to happen. The Biden Plan highlights important initiatives that will be taken once Biden is in office. There is hope for a brighter and cleaner planet. 

Serene Janian can be reached at [email protected]