Washington (AFP)

With his plan of 2,000 billion dollars of investments in infrastructure, US President Joe Biden at the same time unveiled the heart of his climate strategy, detailing its main orientations to achieve the environmental objectives set for the country.

The vast project must put the United States on the right track to keep two flagship promises of the Democrat: to bring pollution levels in the American energy sector to zero by 2035, and for the country's economy to achieve carbon neutrality. by 2050.

"We believe that with these investments (...), we can make (these commitments) a reality", declared Thursday Gina McCarthy, national adviser on the environment.

"Yes, it's bold, and we think that's exactly the right thing to do."

Joe Biden's plan focuses first on transforming the auto sector, investing $ 174 billion to "win the electric vehicle market", for example by boosting the country's supply chains or retooling vehicles. factories.

It plans to build a national network of 500,000 charging stations by 2030, and the switch to electricity for 20% of the famous yellow school bus buses.

Then, the plan attacks the energy sector (100 billion dollars of investment).

It includes an extension of tax advantages aimed at encouraging the production of renewable energy, particularly solar and wind power.

And federal buildings' use of "clean" energy only.

Above all, it proposes the introduction of a measure obliging electricity suppliers to ensure that a given proportion of the energy sold comes from sources that do not emit CO2 (Clean Electricity Standard).

"An incredibly effective policy measure", according to Lindsey Walters of the Third Way organization, in particular to "create long-term demand for clean energy technologies".

This mechanism is already used locally, for example in California.

"This is one of the best ways to get the (emissions) reductions we're looking for," said Gina McCarthy.

The advisor also recalled the announcement last week by the executive of the emphasis placed on offshore wind, for which he set the goal of producing 30 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, via billion investments per year on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

- "Corner stone" -

"The two biggest sources of pollution in the United States are transport and energy production, and this plan has strong commitments on both", commented for AFP Dan Lashof, director of the organization World Resources Institute in the United States.

"It's ambitious. I think it's the right plan at the right time," he added, calling the project a "cornerstone of the climate strategy" of Joe Biden.

For Amol Phadke, scientist at UC Berkeley, focusing primarily on electricity production is the right thing to do: "you decarbonize the energy sector, then you electrify the other sectors".

Thus, cars run on electricity which is itself produced without emitting greenhouse gases.

"It makes a lot of sense," says the researcher, author of a report on how the United States can achieve 100% clean energy by 2035.

According to this document, 90% of the country's electricity can be produced with already existing technologies - wind and solar in particular.

For the remaining 10%, new innovations will be necessary, and Amol Phadke therefore welcomes the announced investments in research.

The Biden plan wants to support projects in hydrogen, biofuel, nuclear ... It calls on Congress to devote $ 35 million "to technological breakthroughs" to "reduce emissions".

One of the solutions mentioned is carbon capture, for the steel or cement industries for example, which allows it to be stored, instead of escaping into the atmosphere.

But this choice does not satisfy all climate organizations, 350.org having said it was "disappointed" by this measure, which "will only allow polluting factories to continue to operate".

Currently, 37% of electricity in the United States is already produced without greenhouse gas emissions (20% nuclear, 17% renewable, including a large share of hydraulic energy).

- Political battle in sight -

All these investments will create well-paid jobs, insists the executive.

But negotiations with the Republicans are shaping up to be very difficult.

Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday pledged to "fight every step of the way" the plan, which includes "more money for electric cars than for roads and bridges," he said.

The Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, has said she wants to pass it by early July.

Months of battle ahead.

© 2021 AFP