United States: Joe Biden's environmental record is not as green as we think

After four years of the Trump administration that were very harmful to the planet, Americans have placed a lot of hope in the political promises on the environment of the Joe Biden administration, as well as the whole world. The Democratic president has been able to make significant progress, but not everything is positive: while he is already campaigning for his own re-election in 2024, Joe Biden's environmental record is also tainted.

Environmental groups have accused President Joe Biden of hypocrisy, after calling the climate crisis an "existential threat" but endorsing Project Willow. Here, young people protest against what could be the largest oil project in the United States, in Washington, March 21, 2023. © Patrick Semansky / AP

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In recent weeks, the Biden administration has proposed or implemented eight major environmental regulations, including the nation's strictest climate rule: ensuring that two-thirds of new passenger cars and one-quarter of new heavy-duty trucks sold in the United States are fully electric by 2032.

In addition to climate reforms, there is $370 billion in green energy funds under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. All this could propel the United States to the forefront of the fight against global warming.

But the US president has had to make concessions that environmental activists accuse him of. Last week, Joe Biden had to support the controversial gas pipeline project for the debt limit agreement to be approved: a shock in Washington, both among lawmakers and lobbyists.

But what activists see as the current administration's "biggest slap" is the authorization of the Willow project to drill for oil in Alaska. This project will result in 576 million barrels of oil in 30 years, with CO2 emissions equivalent to 60 coal-fired power plants per year. In other words, the biggest oil project in the United States, and above all a climate bomb.

However, Joe Biden had promised to prevent any new exploitation of black gold or gas on the territory.

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  • United States
  • Joe Biden
  • Environment
  • Climate
  • Climate change