Climate crisis – live: Biden to tackle environmental rollbacks as Greta Thunberg launches attack on Trump
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Your support makes all the difference.President-elect Joe Biden has signalled he will reverse Trump-era attacks on environmental regulations, as he appointed his transition teams for the US Environmental Protection Agency and Transportation Department.
Both will be run by agency alumni who served under Barack Obama and helped craft regulations such as the Clean Power Plan and tougher fuel economy standards for vehicles.
The head of the EPA team is Patrice Simms, an environmental attorney at Earthjustice, which has filed more than 100 lawsuits against Donald Trump's administration.
The Trump administration rolled back Obama-era fuel economy standards and stripped California of the ability to set zero-emission vehicle rules. Both actions remain subject to appeal.
Meanwhile, Greta Thunberg has launched a thinly veiled attack on Donald Trump for failure to concede the presidential election to Mr Biden.
On Twitter, the teenage climate activist attacked Mr Trump for “denying democracy itself”.
Follow The Independent’s latest updates below
Hello, and welcome to The Independent’s rolling coverage of the climate crisis.
Biden launches transition teams to tackle Trump’s environmental rollbacks
Joe Biden has released the names of his transition teams, including those overseeing transfer of power at federal environmental and energy agencies - despite the Trump administration refusing to play ball.
The Trump administration conducted 80 environmental rules and regulations rollbacks in the past four years, such as leaving the Paris Agreement earlier the month, with another 20 rollbacks still underway.
People on Mr Biden’s new teams have publicly condemned these actions, and come from organisations which have launched lawsuits over them, suggesting the 46th president considers how the US handles the climate crisis one of his top priorities.
The Independent’s Louise Boyle has all the details:
Biden creates transition team to tackle environmental rollbacks – but Trump staff refuses to cooperate
The White House has instructed senior department officials to rebuff overtures from the Biden team to get the transition process underway while Mr Trump refuses to concede
Greta Thunberg launches indirect attack on Trump for not conceding
Greta Thunberg has launched a thinly-veiled attack on Donald Trump for failure to concede the presidential election to Joe Biden.
The teenage climate activist took to Twitter to criticise Mr Trump for “denying democracy itself”.
Ten climate actions Biden says he will take on day one
The 10 executive actions president-elect Joe Biden has said he will take on his first day as president to combat the climate crisis and reduce emissions are:
- Require limits on methane pollution for oil and gas operations.
- Use the federal government procurement system to work towards 100 per cent clean energy and zero-emissions vehicles.
- Ensure US government buildings and facilities are more efficient and climate-ready.
- Implement the already-existing Clean Air Act, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by developing new fuel economy standards to ensure all new sales for light and medium-duty vehicles will be electrified, and annual improvements for heavy duty vehicles.
- Double down on liquid fuels like advanced biofuels and make agriculture a key part of the solution to the climate crisis.
- Reduce emissions and cut consumer costs through new standards for appliance and building efficiency.
- Require federal permit decisions to consider effects of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, and ensure every federal infrastructure investment reduces climate pollution.
- Require public companies to disclose climate risks and greenhouse gas emissions in their operations and supply chains.
- Protect biodiversity, slow extinction rates and conserve 30 per cent of America’s lands and waters by 2030.
- Permanently protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, establish national parks and monuments, ban new oil and gas permits on public lands and waters, modify royalties to account for climate costs and creating programs to enhance reforestation and develop renewable energy on federal lands and waters to double offshore wind by 2030.
Philippines’ Duterte urges developed nations to act on crisis
While the the Philippines endured a second typhoon in two weeks, the country’s president, Rodrigo Duterte, called for developed nations to cut their carbon emissions in a bid to combat the effects of climate change.
“We must amplify our voices to demand climate justice from those most responsible for this existential challenge we face today. Developed countries must lead in deep and drastic cuts in carbon emissions. They must act now, or it would be too late. Or if I may add, it is too late,” Mr Duterte said.
“This is their moral responsibility from which there should be no escape. Otherwise, it would be great injustice – a double blow to those who bear the brunt of the adverse consequences of their past actions and present inactions,” he added.
The current Typhoon Ulysses has yet to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).
Just over two weeks ago, the Philippines was left devastated following another disaster, Typhoon Goni, which caused billions of pesos worth of damage to buildings and agriculture.
‘This beautiful planet is our only home’: Dalai Lama makes appeal to the world
The Dalai Lama has made an appeal to the world to do more to tackle the climate crisis in a new book published today.
The Buddhist leader, who has more than 500 million followers across the world, praised Greta Thunberg and other young climate strikers for leading the charge in calling for tougher measures to tackle global heating.
In the book, he also writes that “Buddha would be green” and he “certainly be connected to the campaign to protect the environment”.
Daisy Dunne, The Independent’s climate correspondent, has more:
‘This beautiful blue planet is our only home’: Dalai Lama makes a ‘climate appeal’ to the world
The Buddhist leader praises Greta Thunberg and urges followers to act for the good of the planet in new book
‘Old folks can be involved too’: Jane Fonda on her climate protests
Actor Jane Fonda has said that by campaigning for action on climate change she hoped to show that “old folks could be involved as well”.
Ms Fonda, 82, told Harper's Bazaar magazine she wanted to inspire others to take action on the climate crisis.
The activist has regularly spoken out about environmental issues. Last year she was arrested during a climate change protest in Washington DC.
Ms Fona said in the interview that people refuse to “admit the cause of the climate crisis which is fossil fuels”.
“What makes me furious is so many people talk about windmills and turbines, but they don't talk about fossil fuels because it's controversial,” she said.
Fonda added: “Grow some balls, the future is at stake.”
How the climate crisis has impacted 2020’s spate of hurricanes
If you fancy some in-depth analysis, Louise Boyle has taken a look at what the climate crisis has to do with this year’s most active hurricane season on record.
“The researchers’ results suggested ‘a detectable increase of Atlantic intensification rates with a positive contribution from anthropogenic forcing’. In other words, human-driven climate change.”
Read the full report here:
2020 is the most active hurricane season on record. What does the climate crisis have to do with it?
2020 is the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record after the 29th storm, Theta, on Monday
PM: ‘No time to waste’ on climate, nations must be more ‘ambitious’
Boris Johnson has said there is “no time to waste” on climate action as he called on world leaders to put forward ambitious commitments to tackle the crisis.
The PM also promised to set out plans for driving UK action in comments marking a year until the UK hosts the United Nations Cop26 climate summit. The event was meant to be held this November but was delayed by the pandemic.
The keenly-awaited “10 point plan” from Downing Street on a green industrial revolution is expected to outline action in areas such as cutting emissions from transport, electricity and buildings, and the use of hydrogen and other new technology.
Mr Johnson has already highlighted plans to have every home in the country powered by offshore wind within 10 years as part of the plan.
The UK has a legal target to cut greenhouse gases to “net zero” by 2050, with huge cuts to emissions and any remaining pollution offset by measures such as planting trees, and has sought to position itself as a world leader on the issue.
In December the UK is co-hosting a climate action summit for world leaders to bring forward more ambitious plans to cut emissions and set net zero targets ahead of next year's Cop26 meeting.
International climate action has received a series of boosts in recent weeks, including China's pledge to become carbon neutral by 2060 and the US presidential election victory for Joe Biden who has made it a priority.
Mr Johnson said: “There is no greater duty for any nation than protecting our people and our planet.
“The pandemic has brought this into sharp focus, but climate change will remain the most enduring threat to the futures of our children and grandchildren - and the world we're fighting for - if we do not act.
“We are one year out from hosting the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow, bringing countries together to agree bold action to confront global warming.
“There is no time to waste. That's why I'll be setting out my ten-point plan shortly which will not only create thousands of British jobs, but also invigorate our plans to achieve net zero by 2050.
“And that's why I'm calling on world leaders to put forward their own ambitious commitments to help eradicate our contributions to climate change, before we meet in Scotland next November.”
Countries are expected to submit more ambitious plans to cut emissions under the Paris Climate Agreement, as current proposals do not go far enough to prevent dangerous temperature rises and the worst impacts such as drought, sea level rises, extreme weather and wildlife loss.
The UK also has to submit new plans, known as “nationally determined contributions”, as it is no longer covered by the European Union's efforts in the wake of Brexit, and officials say the plans are currently being reviewed.
Greenpeace UK's senior climate campaigner, Paul Morozzo, said: "Boris Johnson is right to call on world leaders to waste no time in setting out their commitments to cut carbon emissions, but the Prime Minister's actions will carry far more weight than his words.
"This is why it's so important that the UK Government lays out a world-leading plan to cut climate-wrecking emissions from every sector of our economy and society, including a phase-out date for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030.
"There's no vaccine against climate change. The real breakthrough has to come from political will, real action, and smart diplomacy, and next year's climate summit in Glasgow is our best chance to make it happen."
PA
Best climate emergency books to help you better understand the crisis
Public service announcement: if you find yourself wondering what the climate crisis actually means, and how it could affect you - The Independent’s Emma Snaith has you covered.
She has compiled a list of the eight best books out there to help anyone understand the extent of the issue.
Check them out here:
8 best climate emergency books to help you better understand the crisis
To help you better understand global warming, these are the best climate change books from Waterstones, Hive and Bookshop
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