Federal Government Sets New Climate Goals for US

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The new commitment is made under the 2015 Paris Agreement—which President-elect Trump has said he will again withdraw the United States from, once in office.

The federal government has formally submitted to the United Nations a new target for reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions before President Joe Biden’s term ends in January.

The White House said on Dec. 19 that it aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 61 to 66 percent from the 2005 baseline by 2035, compared to the previous goal of a 50 percent reduction by 2030.

The new target, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), is expected to keep the United States on track “to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050,” according to a White House fact sheet.

“I’m proud that my administration is carrying out the boldest climate agenda in American history,” outgoing President Biden said in a video message.

The administration also plans to reduce U.S. methane emissions by at least 35 percent by 2035 as part of efforts to meet the new climate commitment.

John Podesta, senior adviser to Biden for international climate policy, told reporters on Dec. 19 that achieving the new climate target will require the efforts of governors, mayors, and business leaders.

“We’re working to slash pollution from every sector—power, buildings, transportation, industry, agriculture, and forestry—and we’ve ignited a clean energy boom across the country: north, south, east, and west,” he said during a press call.

Podesta said that the incoming Trump administration may put climate action on the back burner, but he remains confident that “the work to contain climate change is going to continue in the United States” with commitment from all sectors.

“Because we’ve implemented a government-enabled but private sector-led strategy, our investments under this administration are durable and will continue to pay dividends for our economy and our climate for years to come, allowing us to set an ambitious and achievable 2035 target,” he told reporters.

The NDC was established as part of the 2015 Paris Agreement, an international treaty that requires countries to report greenhouse gas emissions every five years.

Trump withdrew the United States from the accord during his previous term in 2019, saying that it would have led to “a giant transfer of American wealth to foreign nations that are responsible for most of the world’s pollution.” Biden rejoined the accord when he took office in 2021.

The president-elect has signaled during the 2024 election campaign that he plans to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement for a second time and increase oil and gas production.

Debbie Weyl, acting director for the nonprofit environmental group the World Resource Institute, said the new climate target provides states and businesses with a clear direction to ramp up pollution reduction efforts for the next four years.

“[I]t sets a north star for what the U.S. should be aiming for and could help guide the federal government’s priorities once Trump leaves office in 2029,” Weyl said in a statement.

The Paris Agreement was hammered out in 2015 when President Barack Obama was in office. According to the accord, no country can officially withdraw until three years from the date on which it entered into the pact. Countries were required to give written notice and weren’t officially marked as withdrawn for one year after they submitted the notice.

In 2019, Trump said that the accord was “one-sided” and “a total disaster” for America, citing the unfair economic burden it placed on U.S. businesses.

He stated that the accord “would’ve been shutting down American producers with excessive regulatory restrictions like you would not believe, while allowing foreign producers to pollute with impunity.”

The Epoch Times has reached out to the Trump transition team for comment.

Zachary Stieber and The Associated Press contributed to this report.