The audacious promise to severely cut emissions by the Biden administration rings hollow. The hoped-for impact by officials on the rest of the world through this lofty goal is nothing more than a façade. The unattainable target set is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a whopping 61 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2035.
This is a non-binding target, and it’s clear that the incoming Trump administration, rooted in pragmatism, will give it little regard. President-elect Donald J. Trump, who has rightfully questioned the veracity of global warming’s human-induced narrative, will likely dismiss such grandstanding.
Biden’s Cabinet members have voiced hope that, despite potential disregard by the federal government, state and local governments might still pursue their climate change agenda. Their attempts to push for this reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, which they claim is heating the planet at an alarming rate, could be viewed as an act of desperation.
This big announcement brings to a climax four years of relentless focus on climate change, in an effort for it to be the legacy of the current president. In a video made public from the White House, Mr. Biden sought to justify his aggressive measures, aimed at promoting clean energy technologies and reducing pollution, as the ‘most ambitious climate agenda in American history’.
Regrettably, Biden clings to the expectation that his climate aggrandizing will persist even after his departure from office. According to him, ‘American industry will keep inventing and keep investing’, making it sound as though his administration’s venture was universally welcomed and embraced when, in actuality, this is far from the truth.
He further proclaimed that the so-called ‘existential threat’ of climate change would be transformed into ‘a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our nation for generations to come.’ A nice sentiment, if it weren’t for the fact that Biden’s notion of transformation largely involves impeding progress and hindering the economy.
The pledge to further cut emissions is a noteworthy deviation from what the US had previously committed. Noticeably, this new objective ups the reduction from at least 50 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2030 to a more unrealistic 61 to 66 percent below 2005 levels by 2035.
In theory, this aroma of change is designed to give the impression of a country striving to drastically reduce heat-trapping emissions. However, skeptics can’t be blamed for doubting the sincerity behind these bold claims.
Biden’s administration often touts the view of some scientists, claiming that global emissions must fall by around fifty percent within this decade. Their objective is to keep global warming at rates they consider relatively low – an alarmist theory that’s been heavily disputed by others in the scientific community.
Biden’s promises may sound impressive and noble, but the reality of the execution leaves much to be desired. There’s a wide gulf between making grandiose proclamations and tangibly achieving them.
The reality is that the US is currently not pacing anywhere near meeting the earlier goal, let alone the newer, more challenging one. And this discrepancy goes to the heart of the issue: commitments are easy to make on paper, but the real challenges lie in their execution.
In their rush to portray an eco-savvy image, Biden and his administration seem to overlook this glaring reality. To them, image appears to rule over substance. And that, in essence, is quite possibly the biggest indictment of the current administration’s approach towards the issue of climate change.
Glossy rhetoric, lofty promises, and overly-ambitious targets seem to be the staples of Joe Biden’s climate policy. However, one cannot help but question whether these will ever translate to real, achievable results. The reality might be far less rosy than the picture being painted.