US President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a series of executive actions focused on combating climate change.
According to a White House statement, the orders will empower American businesses and workers to lead a “clean energy revolution that achieves a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and puts the United States on an irreversible path to a net-zero economy by 2050.”
An executive order establishes a National Climate Task Force to be chaired by National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy. The Task Force will call on leaders from across 21 federal agencies and departments to “facilitate the organization and deployment of a Government-wide approach to combat the climate crisis.” The Task Force will be responsible for planning and implementing “key Federal actions to reduce climate pollution; increase resilience to the impacts of climate change; protect public health; conserve our lands, waters, oceans, and biodiversity; deliver environmental justice; and spur well-paying union jobs and economic growth.” Members of the Task Force are encouraged to engage state, local, tribal and territorial governments on these matters when necessary and appropriate.
In addition, the order directs federal agencies to utilize pollution-free electricity and clean, zero-emission vehicles. In combination with the Buy American executive order signed Monday, Biden plans to “harness the purchasing power of the federal government to buy clean, zero-emission vehicles that are made and sourced by union workers” in America.
The order also establishes a White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council and a White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council “to prioritize environmental justice and ensure a whole-of-government approach to addressing current and historical environmental injustices, including strengthening environmental justice monitoring and enforcement through new or strengthened offices at the Environmental Protection Agency.” The order initiates a government-wide Justice40 Initiative aimed at “delivering 40 percent of the overall benefits of relevant federal investments to disadvantaged communities.” Performance toward that goal will be tracked with an Environmental Justice Scorecard.
