On Wednesday 20 January, the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell welcomed the signing of a presidential decree by Joe Biden committing to the return of the United States to the Paris Agreement on the first day of his term as the new President of the United States (see EUROPE 12640/7).
“We are looking forward to having the United States once again at our side in leading global efforts to combat the climate crisis”, the two men said in a joint statement, while stressing the need for “combining all our forces”.
In addition to his country’s return to the arena of international climate diplomacy, the new president also plans to adopt a number of climate-friendly measures at home.
He wants to invest 2,000 billion dollars over 4 years in a green recovery, with the aim of totally decarbonising the electricity sector by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
To achieve this, he plans to develop renewable energies and nuclear power, introduce stricter standards for car emissions, install 500,000 new charging stations for electric cars by 2030, build the world’s most sustainable railway system, and renovate 4 million commercial buildings and 2 million homes.
However, the Biden administration has so far shown no sign of moving towards a US federal carbon pricing system.
Finally, it should be noted that the White House’s new tenant has already signed another Presidential Executive Order to cancel the construction permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline connecting the United States and Canada (this decision could nevertheless be delayed for several years in the event of lawsuits by the companies involved). (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)