Covid aid bill has measures to tackle climate crisis

Both sides of the aisle voiced support for the measures which include $35bn for solar, wind and other clean power tech over the next five years

The coronavirus aid bill signed by Donald Trump on Sunday includes billions of dollars to tackle greenhouse gas emissions and invest in clean energy.

The legislation in the Omnibus Appropriations Bill, part of the Covid relief package, rubber-stamps $35bn for solar, wind and other clean power technology over the next five years.

It is a boost to president-elect Joe Biden who has promised a $2trn plan to tackle the climate crisis, including generating 100 per cent clean electricity in the US by 2035.

The package also includes new rules to phase out hydrofluorocarbons, man-made greenhouse gases which are a significant driver of global heating, and are mainly used in refrigeration and air conditioning units. Both sides of the aisle have voiced their support for the measures.

“Republicans and Democrats are working together to protect the environment through innovation,” Republican Senator John Barrasso, chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, told the AP last week.

“This historic agreement includes three separate pieces of legislation that will significantly reduce greenhouse gases,″ Sen Barrasso added, citing additional measures which promote technologies to “capture” and store carbon dioxide produced by power and manufacturing plants, and reduce diesel emissions in vehicles.

The bill also includes nearly $10bn to reauthorise the Water Resources Development Act to pay for flood control, environmental restoration, coastal protection, harbour improvements and other projects.

Andrew Steer, president & CEO of World Resources Institute, lauded the aid package for supporting Americans in desperate need of economic relief from the pandemic, and for creating “important progress toward a low-carbon economy”.

“Much more needs to be done, but this legislation should put wind in the sails of the incoming Biden-Harris administration, which has made clear that climate action will be one of its top priorities," Mr Steer added. 

“While the bill was hard fought, it reflects the reality that Congress can move forward in a bipartisan way on climate-smart policies that are good for people and the economy.”