The Inauguration of the Biden Administration

With tensions and nerves on high alert as we approached inauguration, we can now breathe a sigh of relief: the Trump administration is out. Now let’s get to work. 

Biden’s climate actions on Day 1 show some promise when it comes to being responsive to public pressure - moving to rejoin the Paris accords and cancel Keystone XL construction are definite highlights. That said, by setting 2050 as the target for net zero emissions, the Biden administration is not telling the truth about the climate and ecological emergency and they also aren’t acting with the necessary urgency. So it’s more important than ever to spread the facts far and wide: net zero by 2050 is too little, too late. (If you haven’t seen it yet, check out how we broadcasted this message to 8.4 million viewers at the Times Square New Years Rockin’ Eve Countdown show here and watch the video here.)

Scientists agree that warming over 1.5 degrees Celsius would result in irreparable damage to our planet: mass extinction of flora and fauna, life-altering temperatures and deadly weather for people in all parts of the world. Even if Biden and others are serious about reaching this goal (and procrastination is more likely), reaching net zero by 2050 gives us at best a fifty percent chance of staying below this threshold: we would, in effect, be gambling our future on a coin flip. Since the latest climate models show that we could reach the 1.5° C threshold in as little as 5-7 years, and climate change is already wreaking havoc at today’s levels, we simply cannot delay action any longer. Read more about why 2050 targets are too late and get a good climate reality check to spur you into action this year. Extinction Rebellion UK’s podcast on this topic is also worth a listen.

So yes, breathe a sigh of relief that the Trump administration - which poured fuel on the fires burning our planet - is over. But then join us in telling the truth and pressuring government to do the same. While Extinction Rebellion is beyond politics - meaning we don’t align with any particular political party and we believe solutions and advocacy must extend beyond the political system we currently have in place - we also recognize the importance of knowing where the administration currently stands and where we need to go. We will continue to work outside of electoral politics to push for Citizens’ Assemblies and use nonviolent direct action to demand ecological justice. 

Public pressure works, especially when engaged citizens consistently demand action. We can avert climate catastrophe if we tell the truth about the crisis, act now, and restore power to the people to build the future we choose.