President Biden's Environmental Policies, So Far

President Biden has unleashed a flurry of executive orders related to the environment in general and climate change in particular. The most prominent of these is the United States’ commitment to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord. Many of the initiatives were to reverse Trump’s policies, some of which, in turn, were to undo Obama-era rules. Why all the back and forth? What does it mean to most Americans?

An executive order is a method of issuing federal directives in the United States to manage operations of the federal government. This includes the determination of how legislation is to be enforced, and other actions relating to emergencies and other policy. Although they are constitutionally legal unless reversed by the judicial branch, executive orders can be revoked by future presidents or acts of congress. Laws passed by congress are held to a higher standard according to the constitution and are more difficult to reverse.

According to Governor Jay Inslee of Washington, “President Biden has called climate change the No. 1 issue facing humanity. He understands all too well that meeting this test requires nothing less than a full-scale mobilization of American government, business, and society.” The executive order to recommit the United States to the Paris Agreement (which will enable the U.S. to hold polluters like China and India accountable) is only the first step. Biden’s other orders stop construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline expansion (which would have encouraged yet more Canadian oil sands extraction) and halt new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters. They would not (and could not) stop other fossil fuel drilling.

With the understanding that the climate crisis is an overriding concern, Biden’s policies are the best way to address it at this point. Legislation to affirm these initiatives as well as to position the United States to regain our lost leadership in economic development, especially relating to renewable energy, must follow. Loss of jobs in fossil fuel production will be small compared with the substantial gains afforded by the innovation and creativity of a future-facing economy based on clean energy. Naturally, the question is, how can we move forward on something this important.

First, we need to recognize that although the climate may be mankind’s greatest challenge, it’s not the most immediate one. The Biden Administration must get the Coronavirus Pandemic under control. It’s gratifying to know that they’ve begun to take steps and to ‘own’ the problem. Although some environmental progress isn’t dependent on whether or not the pandemic is under control (and we can do two things at once), the problem is mostly one of perception.

Second, we will need to convince members of the Republican party to support such legislation. This is the heavy-lift part. The planet itself is lending urgency. Last year was the hottest year on record, the years from 2010 through 2019 make up the hottest decade ever. The irreversible effects of climate change have wreaked havoc across the globe, from devastating wildfires in Australia and California to rising sea levels, stronger storms, and widespread droughts.

Still not convinced? BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell Oil, the United States Chamber of Commerce, and the American Petroleum Institute all issued statements of support for President Biden’s decision to rejoin the Paris Accord. So did the United States Chamber of Commerce and the American Petroleum Institute. It seems that they welcome the regulation and the environmental stability that comes with good economic policy. Republicans should too.