Return to Paris Agreement Is a Key First Step for New Administration

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute's executive director, Daniel Bresette, welcomed President Joe Biden's executive order marking the return of the United States to the Paris Agreement. It was one of Biden's first actions as president following his inauguration today.

"Rejoining the Paris Agreement is a critical first step to show our international partners that we are serious about tackling climate change," said Bresette. "Now comes the hard part: setting ambitious climate commitments, implementing new policies, and making sure we meet our goals. Fortunately, we can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions while also creating jobs, cutting harmful pollution, and making our communities more secure and resilient."

"President Biden has clearly and repeatedly signaled his determination to make action against climate change a top priority," noted Bresette. "This is an ‘all hands on deck’ moment. We look forward to working with the Biden-Harris administration and the new Congress to make our nation more equitable, sustainable, and resilient."

The Paris Agreement calls on the world's nations to keep global warming significantly below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and to strive to limit the increase to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F). This would primarily be achieved by transitioning to cleaner energy sources and by promoting energy efficiency. With almost universal support from the world's nations, the Paris Agreement entered into force in record time in November 2016. In 2017, President Donald Trump announced the United States would withdraw from the Agreement, and that withdrawal became effective on November 4, 2020, the day after the U.S. presidential election. Other major powers—including China, the European Union, Britain, Japan, and South Korea—have reaffirmed their commitments to the Paris Agreement and have set ambitious goals to become carbon neutral by 2050 (or 2060 in China’s case).

Biden's transition team has announced that more climate-related executive orders will be forthcoming on January 27.