"Be kind. Be hopeful. Be optimistic."
America has reclaimed the opportunity to change things for the better
Friends,
Donald Trump’s defeat this week means our children and grandchildren have a better shot at living under a stable climate than was true even a few days go. But this is not merely avoiding the dire environmental consequences of a second Trump term. It’s what a Biden Administration can do.
As the world's leaders line up to prepare to work with the US on climate change on day one — 73 days from now when Biden takes the oath of office this January — expect a term like no other.
Biden won this election running on the most ambitious climate agenda in US history. He promised to put the US on track to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector by 2035, reimpose strict fuel mileage standards, restrict oil and gas extraction on public lands, supercharge renewable development, and rejoin the international Paris Agreement that aims to keep the average global temperature from rising more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. The EPA will be led by environmentalists, not lobbyists. There’s talk of appointing a climate body to coordinate federal action on par with the powerful National Security Council.
But there’s still the Senate. Despite Georgia flipping blue for president Biden this week, two run-off elections in the state in January will be decisive. Without a Senate win in Georgia, you can expect the Biden Administration to face obstruction to ambitious climate legislation, despite some tentative signs of support for climate action among some Republicans.
Truly transformative climate action will depend on Congress and the White House. But look at the demographics. More than any generation, Millennials favor strong climate action. Those opposing it in their parents’ generation are an ever-shrinking slice of the electorate. In 2018, Millennials combined with Gen-X and Gen-Z voters, exceeded their elders as a share of those casting ballots for the first time. And every year, the scales tip a bit more.
The world is at a tipping point, and tipping the right way, at least for now. The election results were barely in and world leaders were already lining up to work with the US on climate change.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson offered to work closely with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on “shared priorities from climate change to trade and security." In Fiji, in danger of drowning under rising seas, the Prime Minister tweeted congratulations to Joe Biden: “Together, we have a planet to save from a #ClimateEmergency.”
Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven said he was ready to “lead a green transition creating jobs for the future.” Greece’s president Katerina Sakellaropoulou offered her congratulations, cooperation, and friendship, “welcoming the US again to the #ParisAgreement on climate change!”
As the tweets rolled in from New Zealand, Austria, Iceland, and elsewhere, it was clear that from day one, America’s president-elect had a coalition behind him for an unprecedented global effort to deal with the climate crisis.
Take the weekend to savor our brighter future. And like Rep. John Lewis said, “be kind, be hopeful, be optimistic”.
Michael, Jemima & Jim