President Biden’s Executive Order for the Federal Government to Achieve Net Zero by 2050
By Ayla Kanber, Earth Forward Group
Over the past year, the Biden administration has been implementing sustainability regulations and legislation to combat climate change.
In January 2021, the Biden administration re-entered the U.S. into the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement is an international climate change treaty that legally binds countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. In June 2017, President Donald Trump withdrew from the U.S. from the Paris Agreement due to what were viewed as unfair economic costs the treaty would incur.
In August of this year, President Biden signed an executive order mandating that economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by 50–52% by 2030. Similarly, Biden mandated that zero emissions vehicles will make up half of new vehicle sales in the U.S. by 2030. In mid-November, the administration also signed an infrastructure deal into law that would earmark billions into energy transition-focused spending.
Most recently, President Biden’s Build Back Better Plan was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on November 19th, 2021. The bill is now being considered by the Senate, and it is expected that it will be approved by Christmas this year. Included in the plan is the climate agenda, which features $320 billion in tax incentives that cut costs to consumers and manufacturers of electric vehicles, electric heat pumps, solar panels, wind farms, and other renewable energy equipment.
In addition to these efforts, President Biden has posed the federal government to be a climate leader. On December 8th, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order for the U.S. federal government to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
This executive order outlines the goals and initiatives for their net zero emissions strategy and includes both short- and long-term goals. The net zero target will be reached by reducing emissions from the federal government’s buildings, vehicle fleets, procurement activities and operations.
In tandem with this new executive order, the Biden administration revealed “The Federal Sustainability Plan” that includes more detailed goals, initiates, and targets. The plan was published for all to review where the White House says:
U.S. Government Will Lead by Example to Leverage Scale and Procurement Power to Drive Clean, Healthy, and Resilient Operations
According to the White House, the order contains these 5 ambitious goals:
- 100% carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) by 2030, at least half of which will be locally supplied clean energy to meet 24/7 demand;
- 100% zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) acquisitions by 2035, including 100% zero-emission light-duty vehicle acquisitions by 2027;
- Net-zero emissions from federal procurement no later than 2050, including a Buy Clean policy to promote use of construction materials with lower embodied emissions;
- A net-zero emissions building portfolio by 2045, including a 50% emissions reduction by 2032; and
- Net-zero emissions from overall federal operations by 2050, including a 65% emissions reduction by 2030.
President Biden is also setting up the federal government to orient these 5 achievements around the following principles and goals:
- Achieving climate resilient infrastructure and operations;
- Building a climate- and sustainability-focused workforce;
- Advancing environmental justice and equity;
- Prioritizing the purchase of sustainable products, such as products without added perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); and
- Accelerating progress through domestic and international partnerships.
Funds to achieve these goals will be provided by agencies from the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Budget for Fiscal Year 2022, and Build Back Better Act.
The executive order and the Federal Sustainability Plan are significant actions that will encourage U.S. corporations and organizations to establish or continue advancement on their reduced emissions goals.
