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The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act was a substantial first step toward addressing climate change, and the New York Times reports that President Biden appears to be ready to take executive action to reduce emissions further. White House officials say that Biden plans to issue new regulations on vehicle tailpipe emissions, power plants, and oil and gas wells. The president has the executive authority to issue regulations through federal agencies and can establish rules to address air pollution under the Clean Air Act of 1970.
White House climate advisor Gina McCarthy said that these additional regulatory moves would help the president keep his promise to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent, compared to 2005 levels, by the end of the decade. “The president has not chosen to just look at Congress, he’s chosen to recognize that he has presidential authorities and responsibilities under the law to keep moving this forward,” McCarthy said. “And he’s going to continue to use those.”
Beyond issuing new emissions regulations, Biden has other tools at his disposal. He could declare a national climate emergency, which would give the president the power to unlock federal funding for clean energy. The administration can also address the leasing reforms that didn’t make it into the final bill, which would have required oil and gas companies to post bonds sufficient to clean up after themselves. Finally, Biden can take executive action to achieve his America the Beautiful initiative to protect 30 percent of America's lands by 2030.
"Reducing carbon emissions alone will not be enough to address the intertwined climate and biodiversity crises," said Center for Western Priorities Director Jennifer Rokala. "In order for President Biden to reach his 30×30 goal, he must move quickly to work with states, cities, and private landowners to ensure more voluntary protections of critical ecosystems. And he must use every tool at his disposal, including the Antiquities Act, to protect new national monuments and conservation areas across America.”
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What is new and shocking is these large areas, one hundred acres or more, where every single sequoia is killed. There is no evidence anything like that has happened in the past one thousand years, probably many thousands of years.”
