Joe Biden signs Executive Order rejoining Paris Peace Agreement
The United States re-enters the agreement after three years
On his very first day of office, just hours after his inauguration, Joe Biden has signed a number of executive orders into force. The 46th president of the United States of America has made it clear that he plans to take matters into his own hands a lot differently than his predecessor, Donald Trump.
As a part of this change, he has also signed an executive order to re-enter the historic Paris Agreement on Climate Change, a commitment he made during his election campaign.
We're back in the Paris Climate Agreement.
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 21, 2021
The Paris Accord committed the US and 187 other countries to keep rising global temperatures below 2C above pre-industrial levels and attempting to limit them even more, to a 1.5C rise.
Biden has promised to put the United States on a track to net-zero emissions by 2050 to match the steep and swift global cuts that scientists say are needed to avoid the most devastating impacts of global warming. He plans to do so by using curbing the use of fossil fuels and making massive investments in clean energy.
White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki told reporters that the re-entry, along with the other newly issued executive orders will come into force over the next 30 days. The order for the same was deposited to the office of the United Nations Secretary General on January 20, and will fully enter into force on February 19.
This new move received support from not just the general population but also French President Emmanuel Macaron and the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.
To @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris.
Best wishes on this most significant day for the American people!
We are together.
We will be stronger to face the challenges of our time. Stronger to build our future. Stronger to protect our planet. Welcome back to the Paris Agreement!— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 20, 2021
Guterres said: “I warmly welcome President Biden’s steps to re-enter the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and join the growing coalition of governments, cities, states, businesses and people taking ambitious action to confront the climate crisis. We look forward to the leadership of United States in accelerating global efforts towards net zero, including by bringing forward a new nationally determined contribution with ambitious 2030 targets and climate finance in advance of COP26 in Glasgow later this year.”
