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A few hours in the presidency of the United States were enough for Joe Biden to turn around several of the controversial environmental decisions of his predecessor, Donald Trump, characterized by reversing and undoing regulations related to caring for the environment. Among the most relevant decisions of the new administration is the return of the North American country to the Paris Agreement.
There is another air in the White House. With just over a week in the Oval Office, Joe Biden has already done more for the environment in America than former President Donald Trump in four years in office.
Only a few hours had passed since his inauguration as the 46th US president and the former Obama vice president and former senator for the state of Delaware had already made his position clear regarding his environmental policies.
We’re back in the Paris Climate Agreement.
– President Biden (@POTUS) January 21, 2021
With the signing of what was its third presidential decree, the United States rejoined the historic Paris Climate Agreement, reached in 2015 by 195 nations with the aim of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius with respect to the planet’s temperature. at the end of the 19th century. An important return if we consider that the United States is the second country with the most greenhouse gas emissions in the world, in absolute terms, after China.
With a “today is the day of the climate in the White House” Biden signed on January 27 other executive orders by which the subsidies for the oil sector and other fossil fuels were reduced, the new concessions for oil exploitation were paused and gas in federal lands and waters and the protection of 30% of the country’s lands and maritime areas was planned before the year 2030.
Quite a turn of 180º with respect to its predecessor that, also at the end of decrees, undid many of the advances in environmental matters that the Obama presidency had left. That is the problem with the decrees that, as the Democrat is doing now, can be reversed by the next tenant (or tenant) of the White House.
Biden still has a lot to do on the environment so the United States can be proud of its role in fighting climate change, but the environmental news from Washington has been welcomed by the international community.
Climate adaptation Summit 2021
On January 25 and 26, several leaders participated in the summit on climate adaptation, a virtual event organized by the Netherlands. This summit was one of the first to focus, rather than on the causes of climate change, on its effects and how to adapt or mitigate its impact.
António Guterres, the UN secretary general, called for half of the climate budget to be dedicated to adaptation. This means, among many other things, investing more in the construction of green spaces in cities or in the installation of rainwater harvesting systems to avoid floods; have better storm warning systems or more storm-resistant buildings and roads. All these measures could save on damages that, in economic terms, would quadruple the cost of implementing them. So far the budget is only 5% of the money reserved for the climate, a figure very far from the 50% requested by the UN and with which climate adaptation experts agree.
The summit was attended by John Kerry, speaking for the first time officially at an international event as the White House special envoy for climate. Kerry apologized for the absence of his country in recent years in environmental matters and assured that they have “the intention of doing everything possible to ensure that COP26 (the UN climate change summit that takes place in November in Scotland ) results in ambitious climate action in which the largest emitters increase their commitments significantly and in which we help protect those who are most vulnerable. ” According to Kerry, “there is simply no way to adapt to a world 3 or 4 degrees hotter, except for the wealthiest and most privileged.”
The IMF includes climate in the main macroeconomic indicators
The International Monetary Fund announced several changes in its actions that show the importance it is giving to climate change as a potential risk to world economic stability.
IMF Director Kristalina Georgieva also recalled that building resilience is good for nature and ecosystems, for economic growth, job creation and health.
The sounds and smells of the countryside are protected by law in France
The bellowing of cows, the tolling of church bells, the crowing of roosters and cicadas or the smell of hay and manure are now part of the rural sensory heritage of France.
This is what the new law approved by the French Senate says. A law that reached the legislature after several complaints against roosters and ducks made by city dwellers who were going to spend the weekend at their country house and who felt that they were singing or squawking too loud and not letting them rest in peace.
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source https://pledgetimes.com/environment-biden-takes-the-reins-and-the-united-states-takes-a-180o-environmental-turn/
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