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‘So why are you still subsidizing fossil fuels?’: Biden hit by critics for not doing enough on climate crisis after he tweets IPCC report

The president said on social media that ‘the science is undeniable’

Graeme Massie
Los Angeles
Monday 09 August 2021 21:23 BST
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5 key takeaways from the IPCC’s landmark climate report
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Joe Biden has been blasted by his critics for not doing enough to tackle the climate crisis after he tweeted out the IPCC report.

The sweeping new report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned the world is running out of time to make drastic cuts to greenhouse gas emissions and preventing climate breakdown.

The report, authored by 234 scientists in 66 countries, found “it is more likely than not” that the world will reach a 1.5C increase in temperature in the next two decades.

Currently temperatures stand around 1.2C above pre-industrial levels.

The report is clear that some consequences of the climate crisis are already unavoidable and it states that it is “virtually certain” that global sea levels will continue to rise this century.

The report also warns that sea levels will “remain elevated for thousands of years” as a result of ocean warming and melting ice sheets.

The US president, who made substantial climate pledges during his run to the White House, took to Twitter after the publication of the report.

“We can’t wait to tackle the climate crisis,” he tweeted.

“The signs are unmistakable. The science is undeniable. And the cost of inaction keeps mounting.”

But the White House’s position was not good enough for some social media users.

“Looking forward to every leader acknowledging the climate crises while doing absolutely nothing to stop it,” tweeted @NoelFB.

And other twitter users took a shot at the proposed Line 3 pipeline expansion to bring nearly a million barrels of tar sands per day from Alberta, Canada to Superior, Wisconsin.

“#StopLine3 already!” Tweeted @garden_honey.

And Extinction Rebellion San Francisco, added: “Cancel permits for Line 3. How does a new tar sands pipeline help the climate crisis?”

“This you?!” tweeted @EvelKneidel, along with a Mother Jones story about the Interior Department quietly approving Arch Resource’s request for royalty relief at two of its coal mines.

Comedy writer, Broti Gupta, took a shot at Mr Biden, tweeting: “I have amazing news about what your job title is.”

And American cartoonist Rob DenBleyker, tweeted: “A couple tweets oughta do it, great work sir.”

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