The Biden Plan for a clean energy revolution and environmental justice
President Joe Biden is what could be described as a climate warrior; before he became the President of the United States he had introduced the Global Climate Protection Act, which led to talks between President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, agreeing to cooperate on global climate and environmental change. As well as this he criticized President George Bush for not pushing countries to give time frames or targets for reducing emissions, casting his vote to sign the UN framework convention treaty regarding climate change.
On Biden’s inauguration day he re-joined the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, joining countries around the world in a commitment to reducing emissions. This year he has announced his $2 trillion American Jobs Plan, which at its center will go into investment in clean energy over the next few years, aiming for 100% clean electricity by 2035. This investment will not only support the manufacture of electric vehicles and renewable energy but also provide the investment for research for potentially crucial technologies. Updating infrastructure is key, especially the investments to improve energy efficiency in buildings and housing, promoting electric vehicle production, and increasing conservation efforts in the agriculture industry.
In order to cater to the diverse community that is America, he has promised that 40% of spending will be dedicated to historically disadvantaged communities. Such spending will be on clean energy deployment, reduction of legacy pollution, and other investments.
Biden’s plan does however have its limitations. Firstly, he comes across quite protectionist in his announcements, “When Donald Trump thinks about climate change, he thinks ‘hoax’. I think ‘jobs’. Good paying, union jobs that put Americans to work building a stronger, more climate-resilient nation.” This could not only be limited to the actual changes being implemented, such as blocking flows of technology from other countries, but also show that his actions are performative. Such statements being made are extremely popular with the citizens. Thus, is he just implementing these changes for re-election with no actual commitment to change?
As well as this he talks about banning new gas and oil permits. This includes fracking on federal lands – most fracking operations are on private lands so this action will only be damaging for those on federal lands as opposed to actually tackling the problem at hand.
Lastly, it is planned to be paid for through tax increases on corporations and the wealthy, as well as deficit spending aimed at stimulating the economy. We must consider the fact that, after a certain rate of taxation, there will be an increase in avoidance and perhaps less incentive to work, as well as the fact America is already in huge amounts of debt as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic so is deficit spending even achievable?
However, one can argue that the possibly irreversible impacts of climate change need to be prevented at all costs. Moreover, what can be debated is the efficiency of Biden’s plan and whether it is even worth the investment given that the other countries are not committed so strongly.
Written by Elin Thomas; Edited by Alidar Kuatbekov
