TWS: Biden has made strides but climate crisis demands more

WASHINGTON, DC – In his first State of the Union Address, President Biden reinforced his commitment to fighting the climate crisis, announcing critical new investments in clean energy that are necessary to transition the United States away from a dangerous dependence on fossil fuels.

In response The Wilderness Society released the following statement from Natalie Mebane, Senior Director of Climate Solutions:

“President Biden has made incredible strides in pushing renewable energy, but the urgency of the climate crisis demands much more. In his first year in office, President Biden approved over 3,500 drilling permits on public lands, which could release more than 400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), or the annual emissions of 87 million cars.

“Biden approved 33 percent more permits than Trump did in his first year. And yet he set a goal to reduce our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. We cannot realistically achieve what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says is necessary to stay under 1.5 degree Celsius of warming, while still using our public lands to contribute to the climate crisis.

“It’s time for the Biden administration to make a comprehensive plan for public lands that ensures they are part of the climate solution, instead of contributing to the problem.”