Page 14 - NorthAmOil Week 03 2021
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NorthAmOil POLICY NorthAmOil
US rejoins global Paris Accord
in bid to tackle climate crisis
GLOBAL NEW US President Joe Biden, sworn into office made these critical issues some of his top prior-
on 20 January, has signed an order the same ities upon taking office,” said Heather Zichal,
day to require that the US rejoin the all-impor- CEO of the American Clean Power Association.
tant global Paris climate pact. Fighting climate “America’s clean energy industries stand ready to
change is one of the new president’s a major pol- invest in US communities and the US workforce
icy planks. as we work together to achieve a more prosper-
Biden’s plans to combat climate change ous and lower-carbon future.”
already stand in sharp contrast to those of his Biden’s aggressive climate plans are important
predecessor, Donald Trump, who once described for renewable energy. Under the Paris Accord, Biden, a
climate change as a Chinese hoax. In 2012, signatories agree to keep global temperature
Trump tweeted: “The concept of global warm- rise under 2 degrees Celsius – and ideally, under Democrat, has
ing was created by and for the Chinese in order 1.5 Celsius – by reducing GHG emissions.
to make US manufacturing non-competitive.” Members, including major emitters such as the promised a $2
Under Trump, the US’ exit from the Paris European Union, Japan and South Korea, have
Agreement was finalised in November 2020. The pledged to reach net zero emissions by 2050. trillion climate
US is the only country to have left the 2016 pact. Indeed, a target of net zero emissions by 2050 and energy plan
In another signal of a shift away from fos- was also one of Biden’s election pledges.
sil fuels, on January 20 Biden also revoked a Renewable energy is key to reducing a tem- over the next four
key permit for the $8bn Keystone XL pipeline, perature rise. Electricity production contributed
designed to ship oil sands crude from Canada to 26.9% of 2018 global GHG emissions, according years.
US Gulf Coast refineries. (See: Keystone XL’s fate to the US Environmental Protection Agency
sealed as Biden takes office, page 9) The oil sands (EPA).
are known for higher greenhouse gas (GHG) Biden, a Democrat, has promised a $2 trillion
emissions intensity than conventional oil. For- climate and energy plan over the next four years,
mer US President Barack Obama had also although he will face some resistance in the US
denied the same permit for the pipeline, on the Congress, despite both houses of the legislative
basis that the pipeline would lead to increased body now being controlled by the Democrats.
emissions by allowing oil sands producers to Support for renewable energy is a bipartisan
ramp up output, but Trump reinstated it. issue, but broad climate and green energy leg-
“Economic recovery and combating climate islation has more support from Democrats than
change go hand in hand, and President Biden has from Republicans.
P14 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 03 21•January•2021
