By The Opinion
Nov 17, 2024, 18:52 PM EST
While Donald Trump promised to reduce President Biden’s clean energy incentives when he takes office in JanuaryBiden took advantage of a trip to the Amazon to defiantly affirm that his legacy in the fight against climate change cannot be easily reversed.
Biden urged leaders on Sunday to work to protect the environment during a visit to the Amazon rainforest that marked the first such trip by a sitting U.S. president in history, warning that “history is literally telling us.” looking now.”
“Today I am proud to be here, I am the first sitting American president to visit the Amazon rainforest.” and I recommit to protecting rainforests like this one,” the president said. He added that “the fight to protect our planet is literally a fight for humanity for future generations.”
“Some may try to deny or delay the clean energy revolution underway in America, but no one, no one, can reverse it. “No one,” he said. Biden speaking from a rainforest reserve.
Biden has made climate change a key part of his political agendapassing laws that reduce emissions, while putting the country on the path to a transition towards green energy. With Sunday’s visit, the president highlighted his commitment to combating global deforestation and conserving forests as part of what the White House calls Biden’s “historic climate legacy.”
The president said the “fight against climate change has been a defining cause of my presidency,” and touted rejoining the Paris Agreement, launching a global commitment on methane and meeting climate finance.
The president announced during the visit that the United States has reached its goal of increasing its climate financing to more than $11 billion a year, up from $1.5 billion when Biden took office.
He also designated November 17 as International Conservation Daywhile the administration announced new conservation efforts, including $50 million for the Amazon Fund, among other initiatives. And he cited the passage of the “most important climate change law in history,” referring to the Inflation Reduction Act, which reduces carbon while creating clean energy investments and jobs.
The trip comes after the president attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru in recent days, where he met with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
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