Biden apologises for US pullout from Paris Climate Accord under Trump

WASHINGTON: The United States President Joe Biden on Friday riding on the Inflation Reduction Act and other measures, affirmed that the US was ready to take back the leadership of fighting a warming planet.

While addressing the United Nations COP27 summit, Biden said as quoted by CNN, “My friends, I came to the presidency determined to make … transformational changes that are needed, that America needs to make and we have to do for the rest of the world, to overcome decades of opposition and obstacles of progress on this issue alone, to reestablish the United States as a trustworthy and committee global leader on climate. As I stand here before you, we’ve taken enormous strides to achieve that”.

During his speech, Biden apologized for the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord under former President Donald Trump.

“We immediately rejoined the Paris Agreement. We convened major climate summits and reestablished, I apologize we ever pulled out of the agreement,” he said.

While addressing the conference, Biden said that the US will be meeting its emission targets by 2030.

“Today, finally, thanks to the actions we’ve taken, I can stand here as president of the United States of America and say with confidence: The United States of America will meet our emissions targets by 2030,” Biden said as quoted by The Hill.

Among the reasons to shift away from fossil fuels, Biden also called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Russia’s war only enhances the urgency of the need to transition the world off its dependence on fossil fuels. True energy security means every nation … benefiting from a clean, diversified energy future,” Biden said as quoted by CNN.
Biden also stressed upon the fact that other nations must also step up to the challenge to ‘permanently bend the emission curve’ as a duty and responsibility of global leadership.

“The climate crisis is about human security, economic security, environmental security, national security and the very life of the planet,” Biden added.

Earlier this summer, Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which included around $370 billion in clean energy incentives meant to slash the use of harmful greenhouse gases.

It represents the biggest effort by a U.S. Congress to date to take action on the issue, The Hill reported.

The legislation was approved by the Democrats through a budget process that prevented a GOP filibuster in the Senate. However, no Republican voted for the measure.

Earlier on Friday, US President Joe Biden met with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, on the sidelines of the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 27) and both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating global efforts to tackle the climate crisis, according to a White House statement.

Biden congratulated President El-Sisi on hosting COP 27, and both leaders emphasized their mutual commitment to the multifaceted US-Egypt strategic partnership.

According to the statement, “President Biden expressed the United States’ solidarity with Egypt in the face of the global economic and food security challenges caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine, as well as his support for Egypt’s water rights.”

Action is a “responsibility of global leadership,” Biden said. “Countries that are in a position to help should be supporting developing countries so they can make decisive climate decisions, facilitating their energy transitions, building a path to prosperity compatible with our climate imperative.” (ANI)