What Biden win means for climate change efforts

Climate activists are elated by the removal of Donald Trump as the US president, and the election of Joe Biden.

The election has revived the hopes of joint efforts to keep the planet safe. The activists want Biden to reverse Trump’s decision to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement.

The activists, under the umbrella Panafrican Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), called on Biden to stick to his promise of returning the US to the deal.

“Trump is an enemy of the people and the planet. Biden gave us a commitment that within 77 days he will return the US to the Paris Agreement,” said Dr Mithika Mwenda, the Executive Director of PACJA during a press conference.

According to him, the Trump administration has dealt a blow to global efforts to climate justice. The US pulled out of the deal despite being one of largest global emitters of greenhouse gases .

The US alone has accumulated more carbon dioxide emissions than any other country since the industrial revolution. According to PACJA, in 2017 the US accounted for roughly 16 per cent of global emissions after it discharged 5.1 billion metric tonnes of energy-related carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

“Millions of Africans are already dying from the adverse impacts of climate change, despite the US playing an insignificant role in creating the current crisis. America’s leadership in addressing climate change is not only sensible but fair to disproportionately affected communities in Africa and other developing countries,” said Dr Mwenda.

Africa contributes only four per cent of the global emissions, despite suffering the greatest from extended droughts and heavy rainfall.

But, these African civil society organisations under PACJA are cautiously optimistic that the Biden administration will rekindle dwindling global enthusiasm in addressing climate crisis. They seek to hold the US accountable for inaction that keeps the world on a path to catastrophic climate change, said Dr Mwenda.

Trigger more defections

The US left the Paris Agreement formally on November 4, this year after months of grandstanding by the outgoing US president. He notified the United Nations of his intention to leave one year ago.

Under the Paris Agreement, countries agreed to cut emissions to tackle global warming and climate change, with the US agreeing to cut its emissions by between 26 and 28 per cent below its 2005 emissions by 2025.

But, the withdrawal has angered climate activists who feel that the action could trigger more defections from the Paris Agreement.
“We want to see what Biden will do to accelerate climate action. If the US dilly dallies and uses offsets, without any other action from the key source polluter we will not be addressing the issue,” said Dr Mwenda.

Biden has promised to cut emissions to zero by 2050, by investing in clean energy and introducing 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2030. He pledged a US$2 trillion investment package for clean energy and infrastructure.

According to PACJA, in its first Nationally Determined Contribution, the US pledged a “path to deep decarbonisation” that could lead to an 80 per cent emission reduction by 2050 or more.

Dr Mwenda said despite the US$3 billion green climate fund the US pledged, only US$1 billion had been utilised before it pulled out of the deal. “We look forward to Biden unfreezing the remaining US$2 billion, as well as reversing all harmful policies which have been put in place by Trump,” he said.

But, the activists are cautiously optimistic. “We have to keep our expectations in check. The problem with the US started during the Kyoto protocol. Their actions were not commensurate to their emissions,” said Augustine Njamnshi, the coordinator for the African Coalition for Sustainable Energy and Access.

He argued that Paris Agreement was ‘diluted’ to accommodate America, arguing that it is a lose approach and not based on science.
“Until he convinces the senate that there is need to take concrete action, then there will be no benefit,” he said.