Where the US ranks in the global race to net-zero
Plus a full breakdown of Climate Day
This past Wednesday, the White House hosted its first-ever “Climate Day,” enacting a series of policy changes to drive climate action 🎉. In today’s newsletter, we will share the highlights from the executive orders and breakdown the implications of the Biden climate platform. But first, we provide a sobering update on where the US stands today with respect to the world’s biggest emitters.
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The US is the 🌎’s biggest emitter on a per capita basis 💩👀
The easiest way to benchmark relative carbon emissions impact by country is to compare annual emissions on a per capita basis (total emissions divided by total population). Through this screen, the United States ranks dead last amongst the largest global emitters. And that’s not even on a consumption basis, where the emissions from a good produced in another nation (e.g., China) are attributed to the end-consumer (e.g., the US).
Per the graphic below, the biggest sources of GHG emissions in the US are electricity & heat, transport, buildings, manufacturing & construction, and agriculture. The vast majority of emissions originating from these sectors come from fossil fuel consumption. From 2005-2018, carbon emissions from fossil fuels fell 12%, partly driven by the mix-shift from coal to natural gas. During this period, emissions from oil and coal fell by 9% and 42%, respectively, while natural gas emissions grew by 38%. Despite the overall decline, the US still ranks second-worst in absolute annual emissions.
Key strengths:
💪 The US has the best climate tech ecosystem in the world ➡️ it has the potential to become a major exporter of climate technology
💪 Flush with capital ➡️ the US can dramatically improve its global standing by aggressively investing in green infrastructure
💪 Unlike China, India, and South Korea, there is some evidence that suggests economic growth in the US is beginning to decouple from carbon emissions
Key issues:
🤔 Getting to net-zero is a very small piece of the puzzle for the US. The country is responsible for a cumulative 400+ billion tons of CO2 since 1750. That’s nearly 25% of all anthropogenic emissions. It’s crucial for the US to take responsibility for previous emissions
Breaking down the White House’s first-ever Climate Day
You may have heard that the United States rejoined the Paris Agreement last week. While a great first step, the move is largely symbolic and doesn’t meaningfully move the country towards decarbonization. But the policy rolled out this week, on what the White House referred to as Climate Day, is surprisingly aggressive and has a chance to make the US a climate leader.
You can read the full briefing here if you’re curious, but for those who want the highlights and some reasons to be hopeful, read on ⬇️
Foreign Policy / National Security
Climate is now considered an essential element of U.S. foreign policy and national security
The US now has a Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, which will sit on the National Security Council
⭐ Directs the government to establish a National Intelligence Estimate of the security repercussions of climate change; this could give government climate initiatives access to the defense budget
Pushed the Kigali Amendment back onto the Senate docket; this amendment would have the US join a global coalition to phase out super potent GHGs known as HFCs (typically used as coolant); the amendment should have enough bipartisan support to pass
The federal government will clean up its own footprint
⭐ Federal agencies are now directed to use clean energy and zero-emission vehicles
The government will not enter new oil & gas leases on public land or offshore waters (some wishy-washy language around this point)
The US will look to double its offshore wind footprint by 2030
⭐ Federal agencies are now directed to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies. While this sounds amazing, removing subsidies altogether will likely require congressional approval, which will be a major battle. Renewables are already cheaper in most cases than fossil fuels, but without subsidies, it won’t even be close
The US now has a goal to conserve 30 percent of its lands and oceans by 2030
Jobs and environmental justice
Any federal purchases (say of electric vehicles) need to be purchased from American businesses
Establishes a committee to assist and support fossil fuel-dependent communities (West Virginia, Pennsylvania, etc.) as we transition off those resources
⭐ Officially centers disadvantaged communities in climate policy; establishes a new initiative to deliver 40% of the overall benefits from federal climate investments to disadvantaged communities
Scientific Integrity
Reasserts freedom of speech protections for scientists
The US will actually listen to the scientific community again and root decisions in evidence/data
Sources: Our World in Data, White House, Scientific American
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