Biden’s new emissions target ‘deeply insufficient’ to tackle the climate crisis
ActionAid responds to today’s announcement from the Biden administration, previewing the US’ revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to cut emissions by around 50% by 2030.
Brandon Wu, director of policy and campaigns at ActionAid USA, says:
“The Biden administration’s new climate target to halve emissions by 2030 is more ambitious than any previous commitment by the US government. Yet it is still deeply insufficient to meet the realities of the climate crisis.
“ActionAid is calling on the US to commit to its ‘fair share’ of climate action - a 70% emissions cut by 2030, plus financial support so that developing countries can transition to greener economies and adapt and recover from the devastating impacts of climate change.
“As the world’s biggest historical emitter, the US has a responsibility to the most vulnerable nations on the frontlines of the climate crisis. The US has long been a barrier to stronger global climate action. For the Biden administration to turn this around and show real leadership, they must go much further on emission reductions and climate finance.”
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A Fair Shares NDC: ActionAid USA is among a group of U.S. climate, development and youth organisations, including Friends of the Earth US and the Sunrise Movement, that have recently released Fair Shares NDC.
This shows that a US commitment that would actually put the world on a path to climate justice, would be equivalent to cutting emissions by 195% by 2030, with 70% of that coming as domestic emission reductions and the remainder through international support to enable emission cuts in developing countries.
Over 100 US groups sent a letter this week to the Biden administration urging it to make a commitment in line with this fair shares analysis.
Many members of Congress have also urged the Biden administration to strengthen its NDC to match the Fair Shares NDC.
The Green New Deal that has just been re-introduced in Congress this week would make steps towards a much greater transformation than what is encompassed in the Biden administration’s 50% target. And 40 members of Congress recently wrote to the administration calling for an immediate $8 billion commitment to the Green Climate Fund, as a first step toward meeting our international obligations for climate finance.
