While the climate crisis poses an existential threat, there is a silver lining. It also presents real economic opportunities to create jobs and raise the standard of living for people around the world, U.S. President Joseph Biden said at a press conference at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Washington, D.C., on Monday. virtual meeting of the Major Economies Energy and Climate Forum.
Having toured the country over the past two weeks to see the damage and destruction caused by unprecedented hurricanes, floods and forest fires, he stressed that the world is at a tipping point on climate change, and that there is a real consensus on the consequences of inaction.
He said he is working to approve a historic investment to modernize the most climate-resilient infrastructure, as well as to build a clean energy future that will create millions of jobs and usher in the new industries of the future.
As part of this work, he said, the country has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, and by that year half of the cars sold in the nation are expected to be electric.
And, he said, both Europe, Africa and the Americas have seen massive flooding, while fires have ravaged Australia, the Amazon and the Russian tundra. And in Siberia, temperatures reached 118° F - 47°C - inside the Arctic Circle.
"The conclusion of the new Intergovernmental Panel on the Climate Crisis represents a code red for humanity. And the time to take real action is shrinking to a point of no return. We don't have much time," he stressed.
"So we have to act, all of us. We have to act, and we have to act now," he said in front of his counterparts and government representatives from 15 nations, as well as U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.
He also thanked all those countries that have strengthened their contributions under the Paris Climate Agreement and put forward ambitious targets for 2030.
"Thanks to your leadership, countries representing more than half of the world's Gross Domestic Product have committed to take actions that will keep us within reach of our joint goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius."
"But, we know that there is still much work to be done in this climate crisis and, if anything, our work has become - in my view - more urgent."
The countries participating in the Forum account for 80 percent of global CO2 emissions.
"Without real commitment from all the nations in this room, the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees is slipping through our fingers. And that is a disaster.
In this regard, he said that by 2030 and in conjunction with the European Union and other partners, there is a Global Methane Commitment to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30 percent below 2020 levels.
"Not only will this rapidly reduce the rate of global warming, but it will also produce a very valuable side benefit, such as improving public health and agricultural production."
He added that support is already being mobilized for developing countries to join and commit to significant action on the issue.
"At this crucial juncture and for the beginning of a decisive decade, I would like to use this forum to forge political momentum and consensus to drive concrete action in four key areas: energy, industry, land, and ocean."
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