President Biden Acts on Climate Change

True to his campaign promise, President Joe Biden issued an executive order to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement soon after he was sworn in on Jan. 20, with re-entry taking effect on Feb. 19.

FCNL joined 20 faith organizations in applauding the United States’ reentry and calling for global leadership, transformative domestic action, and international climate funding.

In the coming months, Biden will have to submit an updated plan to help fulfill the goals of the agreement; an ambitious plan will signal to the world that the United States is committed to strong climate action. Read more in FCNL’s statement on Biden’s first day actions.

On Jan. 20, President Biden also revoked the March 2019 permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and took the first steps towards restoring Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. Further, President Biden directed federal agencies to reinstate the “social cost” of carbon, nitrous oxide, and methane. This measure is essential to accurately determine the benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

President Biden reiterated his commitment to addressing climate change through another series of executive orders on Jan. 27, including establishing the first White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council. As a result of these orders, the Department of the Interior will pause all new oil and gas leases on public lands, review all existing fossil fuel leasing and permitting practices, and identify steps to double renewable energy production from offshore wind by 2030.

The Biden administration also introduced their 30x30 goal of conserving at least 30 percent of our lands and oceans by 2030.

FCNL's Clarence Edwards wrote in detail about the recent executive actions.