Troubling signs

Mainstream media and many large environmental organizations were bullish on President Biden’s early climate actions, but several recent moves, including the announcement of his woefully insufficient infrastructure package, raise significant concerns about the administration's willingness to take the actions necessary to avert climate chaos. If Biden is serious about tackling climate change, he needs to do more than spend relatively small amounts of money on renewable energy; he will need to directly take on the fossil fuel industry, rather than trying to work with and accommodate oil and gas interests.

Biden ran for president promising to invest in clean energy,ban new oil and gas permittingon federal land, and move us away from fossil fuels. With scientists saying we have less than a decade to move to 100 percent renewable electricity, Biden’s decisions could make the difference between climate chaos and a clean energy future.

There are some early rays of hope, most notably Biden’s cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline and his historic appointment of Deb Haaland to Interior Secretary, the first Native American to hold any Cabinet secretary position. Haaland had joined protests against the Dakota Access pipeline and supported a national ban on fracking during her first congressional run, though in her confirmation hearings she pledged to implement the Biden agenda. The fact that Biden is proposing investments in electrification, solar, and wind is encouraging, though his $2 trillion infrastructure package is orders of magnitude smaller than what is needed.

However, there are warning signs that Biden does not intend to take on the fossil fuel industry, or even live up to the promises he made during the campaign. In recent weeks, the administration has walked back pledges on fracking and drilling, embraced fossil fuel industry backed policies, and even scuttled the nomination of a top official because of industry opposition. At the same time, they are cozying up to Wall Street and fossil fuel interests.

Among these warning signs are the reversal of early moves to rein in permitting for new drilling and fracking on federal lands. Biden pledged to stop all new drilling as a candidate, and when he took office, he instituted a 60 day heightened review for permits. But on March 15, thatheightened review lapsed and new permits continue to be approved at an increasing rate.

Further, while Haaland was confirmed by the Senate, the proposed nomination of Liz Klein to Deputy Interior Secretary waspulled due to industry opposition and several lawmakers who thought she would be too aggressive in taking on the fossil fuel industry.

Excerpted: ‘Biden's Cloudy Climate Vision’

Commondreams.org