Biden’s Budget Proposes More Than $36 Billion for Efforts on Fighting Climate Change

 

 

U.S. President Joe Biden’s 2022 budget proposal calls for more than $36 billion to fight global climate change which an increase of more than $14 billion compared with 2021, with major new investments focused on clean energy, climate, and sustainability research and improved water infrastructure.

The new changes in funding for climate change issues are set to move the president’s vow forward to slash U.S. carbon emissions in half by 2030. It aims at putting the economy on a path to carbon neutrality by mid-century.
The White House proposal released on Friday said on climate change issues that it is “an opportunity to create new industries and good-paying jobs with a free and fair choice to join a union, revitalize America’s energy communities and the economy, and position America as the world’s clean energy superpower.”

The budget calls for $815 million to incorporate climate change risk in disaster planning and includes more than $1.2 billion above 2021 levels to boost U.S. resilience to intense climate disasters such as floods, wildfires, and droughts.

The intended budget proposed by Biden in part will fund his infrastructure package, called the American Jobs Plan. That proposal involves record spending on climate change mitigation and a nationwide clean energy transition, and if passed, would be one of the largest federal efforts ever to reduce emissions.

Although Senate Republicans recently released an infrastructure counteroffer that led to the slashing of Biden’s electric vehicle and climate spending, the White House has so far not budged on its climate policies throughout negotiations.

The president’s budget request depends on Congress to pass it. But since Democrats control both chambers this year, Biden could have a good chance to enact major parts of it.

The budget also includes a $1.2 billion contribution to the Green Climate Fund, which aims to help developing countries lower their emissions and adapt to climate change.

The president’s target to reduce domestic emissions in half by 2030 more than doubles the country’s prior commitment under the Paris accord. The Obama administration set out to cut emissions from 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025. However, the U.S. is not yet halfway to meeting that goal.

The budget and infrastructure proposals come as the U.S. re-joins international efforts to combat climate change after former President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 Paris climate agreement and halted all federal efforts to reduce emissions.