Biden’s legacy is determined by the climate

Future generations will be able to look back at Joe BidenJoe BidenTrump tightens grip upon RNC White House to dismiss top health official On The Money — House panel mulls future of ‘stablecoin’ rules Continue reading’s presidency, they will likely judge him by one metric above any other: his legacy on climate action. The climate crisis is now upon us and its consequences are already devastatingAnd deadly,But what happens over the next few years will decide whether our future is one that promotes resilience and recovery, or one that causes unmitigated climate disaster. Biden has an unprecedented opportunity to change the tide in the fight against climate changes. Congress is considering a historic package for climate investments and Biden is under unified Democratic control. But if he can’t deliver, his chief legacy will be failure on this defining issue of our time.

Biden has shown that he can talk the right talk when it comes to climate change. On the campaign trail in 2020, he committed to ambitious and necessary climate progress, like driving America’s power grid to 100 percent clean electricity by 2035 And since taking office he’s Promised to the global communityIn line with science, the U.S. will reduce global emissions by 50 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. These commitments are strong — and the Biden administration has taken important steps to follow through on its climate goals through executive action; from new regulations to Reduce emissions from super pollutantsTo an executive order directing federal agency to To drive the clean-energy transition, leverage your purchasing power. But if these commitments aren’t backed up by bold legislative action, and paired with more aggressive executive action in 2022, then it won’t be possible to meet the goals that the president has laid out.

Bold legislative action is possible, fortunately. The climate investments in the Build Back Better (BBB), Act currently being debated in Congress would constitute The most important piece of climate legislation in American history.Funds totaling more than $550 Billion spread over 10 Years. A comprehensive package of tax credits for clean energiesYou can find more information at National Clean Energy AcceleratorAs well as a brand new Civilian Climate CorpsThis will put hundreds of thousands of Americans to use in tackling the climate crisis within their communities. These investments would make significant progress in reducing climate pollution and provide huge economic and public health benefits. cleaner air, Electricity bills are cheapermillions of good-paying jobs in clean energy. Despite the impasse over the larger Build back Better Act, there is broad support among 50 Democratic senators for the bill’s climate provisions. These investments must be made. 

We’ve seen this film before: In 2010, Democrats tried to pass a comprehensive climate bill, It was rebuffed in the Senate. That can’t be allowed to happen again. As Biden said last month,The Senate supports the historic climate investments in Build Back Better Act. That’s because those investments are already fully paid for and funded for 10 years — as Sen. Joe ManchinJoe ManchinBiden supports efforts by Capitol Hill staffers unionization Biden Interior nominee is grilled by Energy panel Republicans in rare second hearing about leasing Manchin skeptical of congressional staff union Continue reading (W.Va.) has requested for other portions of the bill — and the Senate Democratic caucus is Bold climate action is our commitmentWith these investments. Even Manchin he saidThe Senate can come to an agreement on climate provisions. This is a make-or-break moment for climate — and it’s time to get it done.

As key lawmakers Return to the negotiating tableBiden’s legacy will be shaped by the Build Back Better Act. Although the final Build Back Better package deal will not be 100 per cent of what any Democrat desired, leadership is about making tough decisions. Congressional ProgressivesAnd ModeratesBoth are united in urging the president to make the climate investments in BBB in a timely manner. Biden must use his platform — in fact, the most powerful and influential position in the world — to forge a path forward with congressional leadership to deliver historic climate investments. Anything less than that would be a catastrophe.

Failing to pass these bold climate investments would not only have far-reaching consequences for Biden’s legacy, it could also spell electoral doom for Democrats in 2022 and beyond. Biden and his Democratic colleagues rode a wave in youth support to victory in 2020. Voters below 30 favored Biden by a majority. 24 point marginBut, his support among young people has increased since he took office plummeted — and survey respondents have cited climate as a top concern. Democrats must show that they can fulfill their popular climate commitments through bold legislation and aggressive executive actions if they want to regain the trust and support from the youth vote in the midterm elections.

Biden has two options: He can either lead and deliver transformative climate action or he can surrender to his critics and avoid responsibility for the most important issue in his life. Either way, this moment will define his legacy — and when he addresses the nation in his State of The Union Address in March, the American people will be watching to see what path he chose. He must take bold climate action for the sake of all futures. Failure is not an option.

Jamal RaadEvergreen Action’s executive director and co-founder is Jamal. This advocacy and climate policy organization has played an important role in shaping policies in the Build back Better Act. Jamal served previously as an aide for Washington Gov. Jay InsleeJay Robert InsleeWashington state trooper is killed after quitting his job due to vaccination requirement The Hill’s Morning Report: Biden, NATO Eye ‘All Scenarios’ With Russia After pandemic, legislatures take steps to limit governor power Continue reading(D) & Sen. Jeff MerkleyJeff MerkleyThe Memo: China’s Olympics begin under the shadow of abuses Merkley criticizes UN secretary general’s decision to not attend the Beijing Olympics. Democrats propose bill to ban legacy admissions to universities Continue reading (D-Ore.).