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A28 u.s. news
Diahuebs 28 Januari 2021

Biden aims for most ambitious US effort on climate change

freeze would be felt most acutely in
states such as Wyoming, North Da-
kota, Texas and Louisiana — all won
by Trump.

A 60-day suspension of new drilling
permits for U.S. lands and waters was
announced last week.

Biden is seeking to double energy
production from offshore wind af-
ter the Trump administration slowed
permit review of some giant offshore
wind turbine projects.

Significantly, he is directing agencies
to eliminate spending that acts as sub-
sidies for fossil fuel industries.

“The fossil fuel industry has inflicted
tremendous damage on the planet.
The administration’s review, if done
correctly, will show that filthy frack-
ing and drilling must end for good,
everywhere,'' said Kierán Suckling,
executive director at the Center for
Biological Diversity, an environ-
(AP) — In the most ambitious trations of both parties, Biden also is of Biden’s campaign pledge for a $2 mental group that has pushed for the
U.S. effort to stave off the worst directing agencies to focus help and trillion program to slow global warm- drilling pause.
effects of climate change, Presi- investment on the low-income and ing.
dent Joe Biden is aiming to cut minority communities that live clos- Oil industry groups slammed the
oil, gas and coal emissions and est to polluting refineries and other President Donald Trump, who ridi- move, saying Biden had already elim-
double energy production from hazards, and the oil- and coal-patch culed the science of climate change, inated thousands of oil and gas jobs
offshore wind turbines through towns that face job losses as the U.S. withdrew the U.S. from the Paris by killing the Keystone XL oil pipe-
executive orders Wednesday. moves to sharply increase its reliance global climate accord, opened more line on his first day in office.
on wind, solar and other other ener- public lands to coal, gas and oil pro-
The orders awaiting his signature tar- gy sources that do not emit climate- duction and weakened regulation on “Do not be fooled, this is a ban'' on
get federal subsidies for oil and other warming greenhouse gases. fossil fuel emissions. Experts say these drilling, said Dan Naatz of the In-
fossil fuels and halt new oil and gas emissions are heating the Earth's cli- dependent Petroleum Association
leases on federal lands and waters. The orders are aimed at “revitalizing mate dangerously and worsening of America. ”The Biden administra-
They also intend to conserve 30 per- the U.S. energy sector, conserving floods, droughts and other natural tion’s plan to obliterate the jobs of
cent of the country's lands and ocean our natural resources and leveraging disasters. American oil and gas explorers and
waters in the next 10 years and move them to help drive our nation toward producers has been on clear display.''
to an all-electric federal vehicle fleet. a clean energy future,'' the White Georgia Tech climate scientist Kim
House said in a statement before Cobb called the executive orders an A 60-day suspension order at the In-
Biden has set a goal of eliminating Biden signed the orders. “excellent start” for the week-old terior Department did not limit ex-
pollution from fossil fuel in the pow- Biden administration. isting oil and gas operations under
er sector by 2035 and from the U.S. Still, Kerry and other other officials valid leases, meaning activity would
economy overall by 2050, speed- emphasized that the orders are also “If this Day 7 momentum is rep- not come to a sudden halt on the mil-
ing what is already a market-driven aimed at "creating well-paying jobs ... resentative of this administration’s lions of acres of lands in the West and
growth of solar and wind energy and and delivering justice for communi- 4-year term, there is every reason to offshore in the Gulf of Mexico where
lessening the country's dependence ties who have been subjected to envi- believe that we might achieve carbon much drilling is concentrated. The
on oil and gas. The ambitious plan ronmental harm.'' neutrality sooner than 2050," even as freeze also is unlikely to affect exist-
is aimed at slowing human-caused key roadblocks lie ahead, Cobb said. ing leases. Its effect could be further
global warming that is magnifying ex- Republicans immediately criticized blunted by companies that stockpiled
treme weather events such as deadly the plan as a job killer. Biden and his supporters say the in- enough drilling permits in Trump’s
wildfires in the West and drenching vestment in cleaner energy national final months to allow them to keep
rains and hurricanes in the East. But “Pie-in-the-sky government man- will net millions of jobs. But that pumping oil and gas for years.
the rapid pace of change needed to dates and directives that restrict our probably will take years to happen,
stave off global warming also carries mining, oil, and gas industries ad- and the orders will face intense op- The pause in onshore drilling is lim-
political risk for the president and versely impact our energy security position from oil and gas and power ited to federal lands and does not af-
Democrats overall. and independence,'' Rep. Cathy Mc- plant industries, as well as from many fect drilling on private lands, which is
Morris Rodgers of Washington state, Republican — and Democratic — largely regulated by states.
"The stakes on climate change just the top Republican on the House En- lawmakers.
simply couldn't be any higher than ergy and Commerce Committee. It would exempt tribal lands, mainly
they are right now. It is existential,” Kathleen Sgamma, president of the in the West, that are used for energy
said former Secretary of State John "At a time when millions are strug- Western Energy Alliance, which rep- production. The Interior Department
Kerry, who is Biden's envoy on cli- gling due to the COVID-19 pan- resents oil and gas drillers in West- will continue to consult with tribes
mate change. demic, the last thing Americans need ern states, said the executive order is on both renewable and conventional
is big government destroying jobs, intended to delay drilling on federal energy resources, "in conformance
“Paris alone is not enough,” Kerry while costing the economy billions of lands to the point where it is no lon- with the U.S. government’s trust re-
said at a White House briefing, refer- dollars,'' she said. ger viable. Her group pledged a legal sponsibilities,'' the White House said.
ring to the global agreement on cli- challenge. Biden also will direct all U.S. agencies
mate change that calls for voluntary Biden also is elevating climate change to use science and evidence-based de-
emissions cutbacks by the United to a national security priority. The “The environmental left is leading cision-making in federal rule-making
States and nearly 190 other countries. conservation plan would set aside the agenda at the White House when and announce a U.S.-hosted climate
millions of acres for recreation, wild- it comes to energy and environment leaders summit on Earth Day, April
In a change from previous adminis- life and climate efforts by 2030 as part issues,″ she said. She noted that the 22.