US President Joe Biden has announced a new target for the US to achieve an economy-wide 50-52% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, compared to 2005 levels
The US announcement follows hard on the heels of one from the UK Government setting a target to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035.
To achieve their targets, both countries will need significant further investment in renewable energy. Both are fully committed to a dramatic increase in green energy from offshore wind, among many other initiatives in other parts of their economies that will help meet their respective targets.
The US announcement – made during the Leaders Summit on Climate that President Biden is holding to challenge the world on increased ambition in combating climate change – is part of the President’s focus on ‘building back better.’
The announcement – the latest in a series of policy initiatives on climate change from the Biden administration – is based on a government-wide assessment of how to make the most of the opportunity combating climate change presents.
“Climate change poses an existential threat,” said The White House, “but responding to this threat offers an opportunity to support good-paying, union jobs, strengthen America’s working communities, protect public health, and advance environmental justice.
“Creating jobs and tackling climate change go hand-in-hand – empowering the US to build more resilient infrastructure, expand access to clean air and drinking water, spur American technological innovations, and create good-paying, union jobs along the way.”
To develop the goal, the administration analysed how every sector of the economy can spur innovation, unleash new opportunities, drive competitiveness, and cut pollution.
The 2030 target dramatically picks up the pace of emissions reductions in the US, supporting President Biden’s existing goals to create a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and net-zero emissions economy by no later than 2050.
The target prioritises American workers and will, the administration believes, create millions of jobs for workers in the US.
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