Biden pledges to cut America’s emission in half by 2030

Agencies | Washington

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Biden administration yesterday brought back America into the fight against global warming by pledging to slash US greenhouse gas emission in half by 2030. With this move, the United States, the second-leading emitter after China, seeks to reclaim global leadership in the climate fight after former President Donald Trump withdrew the country from international efforts to cut emissions.

President Joe Biden unveiled the goal to cut emissions by 50%-52% from 2005 levels at the start of a two-day virtual climate summit. “This is the decade we must make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis,” Biden said at the White House.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the new US goal was “game-changing.” Japan raised its target for cutting emissions to 46% by 2030, responding to US diplomacy and domestic companies and environmentalists, who wanted even higher goals.

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also announced emissions cut of 40%-45% by 2030 below 2005 levels. The US climate goal also marks an important milestone in Biden’s broader plan to decarbonise the US economy entirely by 2050. The move he says can create millions of good-paying jobs, but many Republicans say they fear will damage the economy.

The US emissions cuts are expected to come from power plants, automobiles, and other sectors across the economy, but the White House did not set individual targets for those industries. The target nearly doubles former President Barack Obama’s pledge of emissions cut of 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025. Sector-specific goals will be laid out later this year.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman is leading Saudi Arabia’s delegation. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will address Summit for UAE.