COP27: President Biden Boosts Climate Action Globally

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, EGYPT — President Biden continued reasserting U.S. climate leadership as he addressed the global community at the COP27 international climate talks today, pledging to increase U.S. support for domestic and international efforts to address the climate crisis.

Manish Bapna, president and CEO of NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) made the following comments:

“In the lead up to COP26 last year in Glasgow, President Biden boldly pledged to cut U.S. climate pollution by 50-52% no later than the end of this decade—and then tenaciously fought for the strongest climate action ever taken by our country. Today, in Egypt the president pointed the U.S. in the right direction, with new commitments to accelerate climate action, clean energy economies, and global resilience. Now he must—as he did with the climate bill—demonstrate a commensurate level of determination and ambition on the global agenda.

“That means the U.S. must step forward and deliver the full $11.4 billion in annual assistance the president promised for mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries.

“The U.S. also needs to invigorate reforms of international financial institutions like the World Bank, as well as establish credible and near-term funding arrangements to assist vulnerable countries dealing with unavoidable losses and damages from climate change.

“Domestically, it means the U.S. must build on its proposals to cut climate-warming methane pollution at home and abroad, along with stringent standards curbing climate pollution from power plants, vehicles and other sources. These critical federal measures will help close the gap needed to cut U.S. emissions by more than half this decade.

“As he leaves Egypt and heads to the G20 leaders’ summit, President Biden has another crucial mission: engage President Xi to create space for renewed US-China progress on climate. The world’s two largest economies must work in parallel on solutions to rapidly shift away from fossil fuels toward clean energy, both at home and abroad. The climate crisis demands an all-in, everyone at the table, response—and nothing less.”

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.