WASHINGTON: United States Climate Envoy John Kerry said the US President Joe Biden was considering announcing a climate emergency, an initiation that would give the U.S additional powers to push his renewable energy agenda, which has been held up by lack of support in Congress.
Addressing the BBC on Sunday, John Kerry said it was "less than ideal" that Congress was not "full-throated" in favour, adding that "nobody was more committed" than Biden to replacing carbon-based energy.
\The climate envoy also stated that recent Supreme Court rulings limiting the government's environmental measures had not aided the cause. He went on to say that the President was willing to utilise "any weapon available to him" to combat climate change, including executive orders. Biden's efforts to enact a climate change bill were thwarted earlier this month when Democrat Senator Joe Manchin stated he would not vote for it.
According to the BBC, the President announced USD 2.3 billion on July 20 to help create the infrastructure that can resist extreme weather and natural disasters. He did not, however, explicitly declare a climate emergency.
Kerry said the world was learning that green energy cut inflation, lowered energy costs, created employment opportunities and improved health and security. He said Biden was prepared to use every tool available to him to tackle climate change, including executive orders.
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