The NPR Politics Podcast Biden Says The US Has Gotten Serious About Climate
Nov 1, 2021
Dan Charles, NPR's science correspondent, dives into the critical topics surrounding climate change during President Biden's remarks at the UN climate conference in Scotland. They discuss Biden's ambitious net-zero emissions goals by 2050 and the challenges of legislative support in the U.S. Charles highlights the importance of financial commitments from wealthier nations to aid developing countries like Bangladesh in their energy transition. The conversation balances the urgency of immediate energy needs with long-term climate strategies, making for an engaging and insightful discussion.
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Current Warming and Future Projections
- The world has already warmed by just over one degree Celsius due to fossil fuels.
- Current country pledges are insufficient, projecting a warming of 2.1 to 2.7 degrees Celsius, double the current level.
Biden's Climate Promises and Skepticism
- Biden's climate bill promises are substantial but insufficient to meet necessary targets.
- Skepticism surrounds his ability to fulfill ambitious emissions reduction goals given the absence of a regulatory framework like the Clean Electricity Plan.
Varied Net-Zero Ambitions
- While the U.S. is a major polluter per capita, its net-zero goal is ambitious.
- Other nations, like Saudi Arabia and India, express inability to achieve net-zero by 2050 due to economic reliance on fossil fuels or limited resources.