Climate Change Update: A Look At Biden's Strategy For Net-Zero Emissions By 2050

President Joe Biden unveiled his plan for achieving net-zero climate emissions by 2050 on Monday as he met with foreign leaders at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland.

Biden's plan will reduce greenhouse emissions by one gigaton by 2030, reduce clean energy costs, provide cleaner air and water, create thousands of good-paying union jobs and invest in a 21st-century clean energy economy. Biden's goal is to achieve a 50% reduction in carbon levels by 2030, reach a 100% carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and achieve a net-zero economy by 2050.

In order to help vulnerable countries combat climate change, the White House is launching the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE). The federal government can provide $3 billion in financial aid every year beginning in 2024, the largest U.S. commitment to reduce global climate emissions.

The U.S. would work to deepen the understanding of global climate risks while providing solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change.

As part of his Build Back Better plan, Biden has sought to invest $555 billion in helping the U.S. reduce its own climate emissions by building clean energy technology from wind turbines and solar panels, delivering clean energy rebates for consumers, making a record investment in clean U.S. manufacturing, create a Climate Civilian Corps with 300,000 members and advance environmental justice through a Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator that will invest in projects around the country.

“Our investments and policies will supercharge our economy, they'll strengthen the fabric of our society, and improve quality of life,” said National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy.

Biden’s plan will make parts of the economy run on electricity such as cars, buildings and industrial processes. Biden’s report projects electricity could provide between 15% and 42% of energy by 2050. The plan also aims to reduce power plant pollution, utilize nuclear power and technology to capture emissions when fossil fuels are burned at plants and investments in technologies for batteries that store renewable power.

The plan promotes adopting “climate-smart” agricultural practices to reduce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, through standards for oil and gas production.

McCarthy says the plan “illustrates how, within three decades, the U.S. can meet our global climate commitments by decarbonizing the power sector, electrifying transportation and buildings, transforming industry, reducing non-CO2 emissions and reinvigorating our natural lands.”