President Biden begins delivering on climate promises with Paris, Keystone 

Maria Mendiluce, CEO of the We Mean Business coalition: “The inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris marks a monumental step change for global climate action and humanity. I applaud the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to re-enter the Paris Agreement on day one.

The U.S. federal government should align with the latest climate science and set an ambitious path to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest, and in the shorter-term, to halve emissions by 2030. This new U.S. administration can count on support and collaboration from the U.S. businesses, cities, states and institutions that have led on climate action by example over the past four years.

Climate action is good for the U.S. economy; it creates jobs, economic growth and shared prosperity. It will drive a new start for the country and help us truly build back better.”

 

The second one was cancellation of Keystone XL – President Biden’s decision to cancel the contentious tar sands pipeline represents an Indigenous-led, people-powered climate victory. Pipeline construction has been protested by Indigenous front line groups in both the U.S. and Canada, and environmental voices have called out Prime Minister Trudeau’s hypocrisy of claiming climate leadership while championing the massive pipeline project.

It has also long been seen as a risky bet within Canada, despite being propped up by $7.5 billion from the Alberta government. When word leaked this week that Joe Biden would pull the plug on the Keystone XL pipeline project the first day he’s sworn in as president, the only person who seemed shocked was Premier Jason Kenney.

“We hope president-elect Biden will show respect for Canada and will sit down and at the very least talk to us,” said Kenney during an online news conference where he lectured, hectored, and pleaded with the Biden administration.

The move offers hope to environmental advocates who are urging Biden to commit to “Build Back Fossil Free” and stop other infrastructure builds, including the Dakota Access Pipeline and expansion of the Line 3 pipeline project. About 100 souls live in this small Northern Minnesota town on the banks of the Mississippi River where we are making our stand against one of the largest tar sands pipeline projects in North America.

Eriel Deranger, Executive Director, Indigenous Climate Action: “This is a win for Mother Earth, but it’s also a win for Indigenous Peoples who have been fighting against pipelines like KXL for decades. Indigenous communities in extraction zones should not be forced to choose between their cultural survival and their health and basic needs. Governments of both the United States and Canada must do more. The impacts of this crisis are already being felt by Indigenous communities and further exacerbated by the global pandemic. It is not the time for half measures and false promises, but for climate justice. The Canadian government cannot brand itself as a climate champion while expanding industries that destroy Mother Earth.”