United States: Biden Administration Asserts Climate Leadership And Releases Long-Term Strategy For Net-Zero GHG By 2050

Timed to coincide with the opening of COP26-the UN Climate Change Conference-and citing his prior commitment to cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50-52 percent by 2030¹ and achieving a net-zero economy by 2050, on November 1, 2021, President Biden announced the launch of the President's Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE). This whole-of-government initiative by FY2024 would provide $3 billion annually in adaptation finance to reduce climate impacts on those most vulnerable to climate change worldwide. The announcement constitutes the first US Adaptation Communication under the Paris Agreement, which President Biden rejoined on the first day of his administration.

Concurrently, the Biden administration released the Long-Term Strategy of the United States: Pathways to Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050 (Strategy), which-consistent with the conclusion of the most recent report² of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)-states that global warming needs to be limited to 1.5º Celsius.

Importantly, the Strategy refers to a forthcoming set of new policies³ to "accelerate existing emissions reduction trends-for example, expanding rapidly the deployment of new technologies like electric vehicles and heat pumps, and building the infrastructure for key systems like our national power grid"-actions intended to help reduce net GHG emissions 50-52 percent below 2005 levels in 2030 and put the United States on a firm footing to meet the net-zero economy goal by 2050.

Footnotes 

1 Described more fully in our April 21, 2021, Legal Update "Biden Administration Pledges 50-52% GHG Reduction by 2030."

2 IPCC, "Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change," Cambridge University Press, Cambridge UK, 2021. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/

3 United States Executive Office of the President, "The U.S. National Climate Strategy."

Visit us at mayerbrown.com

Mayer Brown is a global legal services provider comprising legal practices that are separate entities (the "Mayer Brown Practices"). The Mayer Brown Practices are: Mayer Brown LLP and Mayer Brown Europe - Brussels LLP, both limited liability partnerships established in Illinois USA; Mayer Brown International LLP, a limited liability partnership incorporated in England and Wales (authorized and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and registered in England and Wales number OC 303359); Mayer Brown, a SELAS established in France; Mayer Brown JSM, a Hong Kong partnership and its associated entities in Asia; and Tauil & Chequer Advogados, a Brazilian law partnership with which Mayer Brown is associated. "Mayer Brown" and the Mayer Brown logo are the trademarks of the Mayer Brown Practices in their respective jurisdictions.

© Copyright 2020. The Mayer Brown Practices. All rights reserved.

This Mayer Brown article provides information and comments on legal issues and developments of interest. The foregoing is not a comprehensive treatment of the subject matter covered and is not intended to provide legal advice. Readers should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to the matters discussed herein.