Read on Twitter
Today is a remarkable day for people and the planet. With his executive orders, President Biden is confronting the climate emergency head on. We have so much work ahead, but these actions lay the foundation for necessary and just change. Some highlights ...
A
A
1st @potus' actions begin to address our country’s long history of environmental racism. He recommits the government to enforcing environmental laws, reversing course from the prior admin which shirked its duty of protecting people and communities. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/02/08/under-trump-epa-inspections-fall-year-low/
40% of the benefits from federal spending on climate change will now be committed to overburdened communities. The funding will go towards clean energy, housing, infrastructure, and transportation. https://ajustclimate.org/pressrelease7.html
2nd, @interior will hit pause on new federal oil & gas leases on public lands. This is a critical first step to confront the fact that 25% of climate-cooking pollution comes from O&G activity on lands shared by all Americans.
If we’re serious about confronting the climate crisis, we must transform public lands from being part of the problem to part of the solution. https://earthjustice.org/brief/2021/biden-oil-gas-leasing-arctic-public-lands
3rd, with 30X30 @potus set a goal for conserving habitat, part of a bigger effort to stop the rapid loss of nature. Without action, scientists warn 1 million species may go extinct within our lifetimes. Human survival depends on healthy natural systems. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/05/nature-decline-unprecedented-report/#:~:text=The%20Report%20finds%20that%20around,20%25%2C%20mostly%20since%201900
Importantly, the 30x30 commitment states conservation efforts MUST involve local stakeholders. The government should work with tribes & communities that have historically been left out of land management decisions despite facing the worst impacts of environmental destruction.
4th, @potus is mobilizing the entire government to tackle the climate crisis. He directs federal agencies to factor climate change into a wide range of decisions and establishes a national climate task force led by @Gina_McCarthy to coordinate 21 agencies around climate action.
Under @ClimateEnvoy’s leadership, the U.S. will make climate change central to our foreign policy and set strong pollution reduction targets to meet our Paris Agreement goals.
5th, @potus has recommitted to trusting scientists on decision-making. This should be a given, but the last administration slandered the scientific community and sowed distrust and confusion about scientists. So this recommitment to facts, truth, and expertise is important.
6th, @potus is also encouraging economic growth and a just transition to help communities that rely on the fossil fuel industry to find good, union jobs in other sectors including clean energy.
Together these measures are turning the tide to position our country to confront the climate emergency. They critically incorporate justice, equity, and collaboration with those who are directly impacted by pollution or who work in jobs that may be impacted by these advances.
We look forward to working with the Biden administration to achieve their ambitious goals and will continue to advocate for people and the planet in the courtroom.
