Biden calls climate change an emergency, considers use of executive powers to take action

President Biden indicated that he may declare climate change a national emergency, enabling him to use executive powers to force actions to advance his climate agenda, which is facing obstacles in Congress. Speaking at a former coal plant in Massachusetts, Biden said, “let me be clear: Climate change is an emergency,” and promised “formal, official government actions through the appropriate proclamations, executive orders, and regulatory power that a President possesses,” within the coming weeks. Addressing climate change has been a major focus for the Biden administration, which announced a series of climate-focused executive actions immediately upon taking office, followed by moves to significantly boost offshore wind capacity, mandate the shift to zero emissions vehicles, and allocate billions to energy transition-focused activities as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Several of the administration’s climate policies are threatened by inaction in Congress, however, with a climate funding bill last week losing key support from Democratic Senator Joe Manchin.