Biden promised transformative climate action – and he’s doing it

These early and aggressive actions from the administration prove that ‘climate as a priority’ wasn’t just smoke and mirrors

‘This is our moment to prove that America can – and will – lead on climate and prove that Democrats can deliver’ (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

If the last two weeks of strong, climate-focused executive actions have felt like a success, it’s because they are. If they have felt like a culmination of decades long work, it’s because they are.

From the moment they took the oath of office, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris got to work on fulfilling the bold and necessary promises they ran on. 

Climate action is not only necessitated by science; it is the mandate they were handed by the largest total vote count, especially by young climate-focused voters, in any presidential election. The pledge for transformative climate action was, in a large part, what won them the election. Now that they are in the White House, they know they have a political imperative to act on climate. And they’re doing it.

Young people understand that climate action is life or death. They understand that every excuse costs them their future. The political momentum that won Democrats the White House, the Senate and maintained the House can only be sustained if the Biden-Harris Administration fulfils the promises they made that unified the country and excited low propensity voters.

Climate action and environmental justice are unifying issues. We must succeed in substance if we are to stay united, and we must stay united if we are to succeed politically.

During the campaign, the Biden-Harris Build Back Better plan promised to recommit and strengthen our climate goals, rebuild our country's infrastructure in a clean and sustainable way, and put millions of Americans to work doing it.

From rejoining the Paris Agreement and ending the Keystone XL pipeline, to pausing new oil and gas drilling on federal land and centering environmental justice; Biden has already signed over a dozen climate-focused executive orders to do just that.  

And yes, not every part of the Build Back Better plan can be achieved by executive action alone. We can’t rebuild this country the way we need to without significant investment from Congress.

But these early and aggressive actions from the administration prove that “climate as a priority” wasn’t just smoke and mirrors. I’ve talked with the incredible team they’ve assembled – their commitment is real. And that commitment goes across all departments and functions of the administration.

Who makes up this climate coalition? Well, during the campaign, I helped lead the Climate Engagement Advisory Council that mobilized climate voters to show up at the polls. After a decade in the climate movement, I’d never seen such strong partnerships between business people, labor leaders, environmental justice activists, and young people. Promises of climate action, promises of building back better brought us all to the table.

A 2020 poll showed that climate was a top issue for 82% per cent of Democrats. That number is even higher for people under the age of 35. Climate is a huge motivating factor for young people. Young people and people of color were the differential factor in this election.

At the beginning of the general election, Biden’s approval rating with young people was low. After NextGen, Sunrise, and other groups worked tirelessly to educate and engage young people around the Build Back Better’s progressive climate agenda, that rating shot up over 30 per cent.

Young people have historically turned out in fewer numbers than other voting blocks. When NextGen asked why, they said it was because they don’t believe that the government works and delivers on its promises. We promised that this time it’d be different.

Young people turned out at historic levels and the majority of them voted for Biden and Harris. If young people are going to stay engaged and stay active voters, we need to follow through.

The Biden administration knows this, and we are already seeing them act. Organizing works when governing works. Political momentum only lasts when tied to policy action. This is our moment to prove that America can – and will – lead on climate and prove that Democrats can deliver.

Tom Steyer is a former Democratic presidential candidate, climate activist and billionaire hedge fund manager.