(C) Common Dreams
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'Time to Do It for Real,' Advocates Say as Biden Claims He's 'Practically' Declared Climate Emergency [1]
['Julia Conley', 'Julia Conley Is A Staff Writer For Common Dreams.']
Date: 2023-08-09 16:48:44+00:00
In an interview with The Weather Channel Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden signaled he has no plans to formally declare a climate emergency, claiming that his climate policies are sufficient and that, "practically speaking," a national emergency has already been declared.
When asked if he will take the unprecedented step in order to unlock executive powers to drastically cut fossil fuel emissions, Biden told correspondent Stephanie Abrams, "I've already done that."
The president pointed to $368 billion that was included in the Inflation Reduction Act to invest in clean energy production, actions being taken to conserve land, and his decision to rejoin the Paris climate agreement as evidence that he is taking all the steps that experts have said are necessary to fight the climate crisis.
"We're moving," Biden said.
The interview aired days after a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about the status of Biden's reported climate emergency deliberations, noting that NASA climate scientist Peter Kalmus recently wrote in an op-ed that not declaring an emergency is "anti-science."
Jean-Pierre did not directly address the question but defended Biden's record, saying he "believes in science" and "talks about climate change."
"And, you know, it is such a difference to what we see from Republicans who don't even acknowledge climate change," she added. "We're going to continue to move forward to do everything that we can not just here in America, but globally, to be a leader in fighting climate change."
Kalmus called Jean-Pierre's response "barely coherent" and demanded to know why the White House won't declare a climate emergency.
"It's not enough for Biden to 'practically' declare a climate emergency," said the Institute for Policy Studies on Wednesday after Biden's interview aired. "It's time to officially announce one."
Last summer, Biden reportedly began considering declaring a climate emergency as extreme heat overtook much of the country.
As numerous climate action groups have outlined, a climate emergency declaration would be far from a symbolic gesture. The action, taken under the National Emergencies Act, would allow the White House to:
Reinstate the federal ban on crude oil exports—lifted by Congress in 2015—which could slash fossil fuel emissions by as much as 165 million metric tons per year;
End oil and gas drilling in more than 11 million acres of federal waters;
Halt the investment of hundreds of billions of dollars in fossil fuel projects abroad; and
Unlock federal funds that could be used to construct renewable energy infrastructure in communities that are especially vulnerable to climate disasters.
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