Now that Joe Biden has entered office as President, what exactly does that mean for the future of climate change policy for the United States? With a national history of polarizing politics, a strong anti-climate change movement and overall weak national environmental policies, this new presidency leaves Americans unsure of how the Biden administration will tackle the climate crisis.
The fossil fuel industry has been allowed to damage the environment and create greenhouse gases through deals with past Presidents or those that looked the other way.
Political Science professor and author, Roger Karapin, recently delivered a talk at Pomona College addressing both how past American politics have affected climate change policy and what he predicts the next four years will bring. In general, he claims that policies and actions from the national government to prevent climate change have not been sufficient for the magnitude of climate change. Kaparin claims that the biggest source to blame for climate change is not individual consumers or local governments, but the fossil fuel industry. The fossil fuel industry has been allowed to damage the environment and create greenhouse gases through deals with past Presidents or those that looked the other way. The fossil fuel industry produces 80% of the energy needs of the U.S. However, it accomplishes this at the price of global warming, air pollution, land degradation, water pollution and the health of disadvantaged and minority communities.
Karapin states that we can learn from the Obama and Trump presidencies about the trajectory of climate change policy during Biden’s presidency. While the Obama era brought hope to climate change activists, President Obama was not able to fully accomplish his targets for regulation of greenhouse gases, energy efficiency standards and international agreements. Karapin discussed that while Democrats tried to adopt climate change policies, Congress was unlikely to pass them. In fact, moderate democrats were not easily swayed on progressive climate change policy. President Obama was not only deterred by Congress but also was limited by the federal courts. Karapin reminds us that the Trump presidency reaffirmed the Republicans’ strong stance against climate protection policies and their support for the fossil fuel industry. In addition, executive actions surrounding climate change that President Obama had implemented could be undone by President Trump.
With the past two presidencies in mind, President Biden came into office with an ambitious plan for environmentalism with a “whole of government” approach. His plan focused on several different topics including listening to science, creating green jobs, benefitting disadvantaged communities and focusing on environmental justice. Despite the extensive plan, there was no ban on fracking and no carbon tax. Luckily, in President Biden’s first few weeks, he revoked the Keystone XL pipeline, rejoined the Paris Agreement, put a pause on oil and gas leases and created an environmental justice counsel within the U.S. Department of Justice.
In the future, President Biden plans to use executive power to roll back Trump-era regulations, issue new regulations, repurpose existing loan and grant funds and work on international policy. Congressional action is needed to make clean energy tax incentives, national clean electricity standards and end fossil fuel tax subsidies. Despite having the Democratic majority in the House and Senate, it is a possibility that moderate Democrats and Republicans may vote to not pass these policies. President Biden also faces a $2 trillion deficit in 2020, and a projected $2 trillion deficit for 2021, a crowded agenda and a conservative Supreme Court majority.
Tessa Fujisaki is a senior Biology major from Redmond, WA. She is interested in how climate change and environmental issues affect minority and low-income communities.