The Preeminence of Climate Change Disaster

By Maggie Caudle

So far, 2021 has been a year full of natural disasters that should prove to us not only the existence of climate change, but the drastic effects it will have sooner than most people think.

Between record-breaking wildfires in California and Australia, devastating hurricanes in the Southern US surging into Northeastern states, and weather events too numerous to list here, it’s clear that climate change will continue to bring more challenges in the coming years. Large corporations continue to pollute the earth, whether through the emission of harmful greenhouse gases or oil spills that harm marine life. Most corporations have not yet made the decision to cut back on emissions or regulate toxic chemicals, and the ones that have made such commitments have not done nearly enough to slow down these effects. So it has become clear that government action will be necessary. However, with President Joe Biden aiming to take this action, we are seeing major push-back from opponents within the government as well as from major corporations who struggle to meet these goals.

Though many of us are anxious about the looming threat of an irreversible climate crisis, there are just as many people out there who see Biden’s measures as too drastic. His infrastructure plan, budgeted at $3.5 trillion, would lead to major reductions in greenhouse gases by trading energy sources like coal and natural gas for renewable, albeit more expensive, energy sources. It would also get the U.S. to use 100% clean energy by 2035. This would, of course, hurt the coal industry drastically, but create more jobs in the renewable energy field. While these ideas sound promising, they face severe opposition from Republicans in the Senate. And while there are Democrat supporters, many moderate Democrats are hesitant to attach their support, even with caveats. Some Democrats are even openly antagonistic to the plan. Combined with backlash from corporations, Biden will face an uphill battle getting the bill passed.

Climate change has taken a backseat to many other policies with previous administrations. President Obama focused mostly on healthcare and President Trump actually took a huge step backward for the U.S. by pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement. One of Biden’s first steps as President was to reverse this most recent action by rejoining the agreement, but there is still so much work to be done. In 2018, the United Nations warned we have about 12 years to reverse the effects of climate change before they are irrevocably detrimental. With only 9 years (or even less, some experts say) left, we must act now.

While Republicans criticize Biden for being too ambitious with the current plan, it has never been more necessary. If passed, it will be one of the biggest steps the U.S. has taken to combat climate change in years. Biden is far from radical when it comes to climate change policy. When he was running in 2020, his campaign focused on economic recovery, while some of the opposing Democratic candidates such as Washington Governor Jay Inslee made climate change their main priority. Biden’s plan may seem ambitious, but this is only because the U.S. has chosen to neglect climate change in recent years. It is only because we must make up for lost time.

In order for the bill to actually be passed, it must have a majority of 60 votes in the Senate, which requires every democratic vote, but some moderate democrats see $3.5 trillion as too high a number. Biden aims to reach some sort of conclusion by the end of October. Though a bill like this would be a major step in combating climate change here in the U.S., it will take continued action to prevent a major climate crisis altogether, and only time will tell if the Biden administration will commit to this goal.

It remains to rest of us to continue lending our support--and our votes--to Senators and Representatives who will support green initiatives. Whether this bill passes, or not, we the body politic cannot continue to leave the fate of our very world in the hands of the powerful who have so far done so poorly with their stewardship. In short, Biden or not, the US needs to do better, which means we the People must demand Representatives who do better.