23 Apr 2021

Biden promises to cut US emissions in half by 2030

From Morning Report, 7:40 am on 23 April 2021

In an effort to re-assert global leadership on the issue of climate change, United States president Joe Biden has made a bold pledge.

His administration has promised to slash US greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, a target it hopes will spur other big emitter countries to raise their ambitions.

His predecessor Donald Trump withdrew the United States from international climate change efforts but  Biden has rejoined them opening a two-day virtual summit with a vow to cut emissions by 50 to 52 percent from 2005 levels.

He noted the US was responsible for less than 15 percent of global emissions and urged world leaders to embrace the economic opportunities that fighting climate change could bring.

BBC enviornment correspondent Matt McGrath spoke to Morning Report.