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By Tom Gilbert, campaign director, ReThink Energy NJ
This week, we witness the dawn of a new era with the Biden presidency — a presidency that recognizes there is no time to waste when it comes to dealing with our current climate crisis.
On his first day in office, President Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement on climate change, placed a temporary moratorium on oil and gas leasing in the Arctic, and revoked a permit for the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.
There are also indications that President Biden will instruct the federal government to consider the long-term economic impacts of climate change when making new regulations, signaling an intention to account for the “social cost” of carbon.
These steps are the first in a long journey toward our clean energy future. In his inaugural address, President Biden asked, “Will we meet our obligations and pass along a new and better world for our children?” This question of legacy, and the climate footprint we leave behind, will hopefully guide sensible policy decisions that reduce our nation’s use of dirty fossil fuels in order to protect our land, air, water, health, and safety.
Poet Amanda Gorman offered a heartfelt and hopeful tribute to the era ahead in her poem, “The Hill We Climb:” “We did not feel prepared to be the heirs of such a terrifying hour, but within it we found the power to author a new chapter.”
As we turn the page on this new chapter, we are thrilled to have a strong federal partner as New Jersey continues to lead the way to bring about a swift transition to clean, efficient, renewable energy and to address the climate crisis.
