United States | Biden outlines new climate goals before Trump returns

(Washington) One month before his departure, American President Joe Biden set Thursday a new objective for reducing greenhouse gas emissions for the United States, which could however be swept away by his successor Donald Trump.

The country, the second largest polluter behind China, now plans to reduce its emissions by 61 to 66% by 2035 compared to 2005, according to this plan which must be submitted to the United Nations as part of the Paris agreement. from 2015.

So far, the United States has committed to cutting its emissions in half by 2030.

This new roadmap constitutes “the most audacious climate program in the history of the United States”, welcomed Joe Biden.

“We will transform this existential threat (of global warming) into a unique opportunity to transform our country for generations to come,” he further declared.

To achieve this, the Biden administration is counting in particular on the fruits of its massive investments in renewable energies, but also on the contribution of the private sector.

Washington had until February to present this plan to the UN, called a “nationally determined contribution”. Each state freely sets its own objectives, but is supposed to revise them upwards every five years.

The return of Donald Trump to power on January 20 should disrupt these plans, the Republican having not hidden his positions on the matter, between stated support for fossil fuels and the possibility of disengagement from the Paris agreement, of which the States -Unis were already out briefly under his first term.

His spokesperson Karoline Leavitt reacted by praising the Republican’s past policies which, according to her, have made it possible to “advance environmental conservation and management while promoting economic growth.”

Her second term will make it possible to clean up the air and water, she said in a statement sent to AFP, without mentioning the desire of the president-elect to get rid of these commitments.

Local level

Faced with the risk that Donald Trump will ignore this road map, Joe Biden’s climate envoy, John Podesta, assured in an exchange with journalists that he was confident in the capacity of the private sector and local authorities to “advance the things “.

“This is not wishful thinking, this has already happened before,” he insisted, recalling measures put in place by Democratic states and cities during Donald Trump’s first term.

However, he acknowledged, the federal policies decided by the Republican could “put climate action on hold”.

Environmental groups have welcomed the new targets, which include a reduction of at least 35% in emissions of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

“This constitutes an important element of mobilization and a reference for States, cities and companies,” said Rachel Cleetus, of the American NGO Union of Concerned Scientists, to AFP.

“Even though the Trump administration may not move a finger to implement this plan, it sets a benchmark for what the United States must aim for,” agrees Debbie Weyl of the World Resources Institute.

Lagging behind

During his mandate, Joe Biden carried out very ambitious projects, including massive investments in renewable energies.

But the United States, which remains the world’s largest producer of oil and gas, is lagging behind.

The country was only at 18% reduction in emissions in 2023, and is expected to reach only -38% to -56% in 2035, according to research center Rhodium Group.

The Paris agreement, adopted by 195 countries, aims to keep the increase in global average temperature “well below 2°C” compared to pre-industrial levels and continue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C . The world has already warmed by 1.3°C on average.

Other major countries have not yet revealed their next climate targets. Under budgetary and political pressure, the European Union, fourth emitter after China, the United States and India, is debating -90% by 2040 (compared to 1990), but is expected to miss the deadline of February, according to analyst Neil Makaroff of the Stategic Perspectives think tank.