Andrea Thompson
Scientific American
[…continued…] That’s the good news. The not-so-good news: It’s unclear how much of this ambitious climate plan will actually be possible to implement in the current political environment. It seems likely that the Biden-Harris administration will almost immediately take a series of executive actions to reverse many Trump-era policies that stalled or reversed progress on climate action – such as rejoining the Paris Agreement, replacing the many Trump-era political appointees who have been openly hostile toward climate science and have attempted to use the existing regulatory authority of certain agencies, especially the Environmental Protection Agency, to achieve some modest emissions cuts.
But large-scale legislative interventions […] will require congressional approval. Without Democratic control of the Senate, passing any substantive climate legislation will likely be a very steep uphill battle. The now very conservative US Supreme Court, too, may become an obstacle to even some forms of executive action or agency rule making, given the expectation of major court challenges […]
Climate breakdown is a matter of survival of peoples and the planet. It is an intersectoral, international and intersectional issue, thus necessitating actions that are comprehensive. To do this meaningfully, I think the most important action the Biden administration can do is to undertake all its policies and actions through a climate justice lens – which would enable seeing the interconnections across sectors and policies – and approach action with equity, accountability and justice in mind. This means addressing a range of issues, such as international cooperation, trade, financing, policies on agriculture, transportation, energy, housing, industry, etc. Starting with rejoining the Paris Agreement and following through on international commitments, it also requires addressing fossil fuel divestment, ethically transitioning to renewable energy sources that account for social and ecological impacts, shifting production and consumption patterns to reduce the US’s greenhouse gas emissions, and addressing climate migration and displacement – to name just a few steps […]
Marshall Shepherd, director of the atmospheric sciences program, University of Georgia
The Biden administration was a win for planet Earth. There are immediate actions essential to restoring leadership within US climate science and policy circles. The obvious low-hanging fruit is to rejoin the Paris Agreement. Other critical actions will involve restoring science integrity in key climate-focused agencies. The EPA† must feel empowered to “protect.” And federal scientists participating in the forthcoming National Climate Assessment should not feel constrained by agendas, ideology or meddling political appointees. It will also be critical that the administration reconcile that marginalized frontline communities suffer disproportionately from hurricanes, heatwaves, flooding and drought. Climate policy will need to be approached from the perspective of science, technology, energy, equity and justice […]
†The United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Thompson, A. (2020, November 12). Here’s how scientists want Biden to take on climate change: Ambitions include promoting electric vehicles and incorporating environmental justice. Scientific American. Also available at https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/heres-how-scientists-want-biden-to-take-on-climate-change