The Invading Sea
  • About
  • Editorials
    • Earlier opinion pieces in South Florida media about climate, rising seas
  • In the News
  • Resources
    • What You Can Do
    • Frequently Asked Questions
No Result
View All Result
The Invading Sea
  • About
  • Editorials
    • Earlier opinion pieces in South Florida media about climate, rising seas
  • In the News
  • Resources
    • What You Can Do
    • Frequently Asked Questions
No Result
View All Result
The Invading Sea
No Result
View All Result

Biden’s climate executive orders will turn environmental challenges into economic opportunities

Facing serious threats from the warming climate, Florida needs statewide coordination and money from the Legislature to cope with the climate crisis

by Craig Cox
January 27, 2021
in Influencers
0

By Craig Cox

President Biden’s first week in office shows how he intends to fulfill his campaign vow to protect the climate, starting immediately by rejoining the Paris climate agreement.

After all, public health, the economy and America’s way of life depend on maintaining a stable, livable climate.

Today (Jan. 27, 2021), Biden issued a series of executive actions to leverage all federal government agencies in the fight against climate change, with an emphasis on securing environmental justice for historically marginalized communities as the country adopts new climate policies.

Following a four-year interruption, an American president will once again rely on scientific expertise to guide policymaking, with the recognition that climate change poses a growing national security concern.

Craig Cox

Biden’s actions will unleash America’s knack for “Sputnik moments” that turn serious national challenges into beneficial new opportunities.

Through Biden’s executive order, America’s manufacturing sector will be harnessed to produce climate-friendly technologies that the Biden campaign estimated could create more than 10 million well-paying jobs.

America’s agricultural sector will be encouraged to pursue new opportunities such as profitable carbon-capture farming practices.

America’s electric utilities will have new incentives to modernize their power generation technologies and transmission infrastructure to produce clean, affordable and abundant electricity.

America’s transportation sector will gain new opportunities to meet the rapidly growing demand for clean and reliable electric vehicles, trucks and other modes of transport, along with new investments in electrification of the nation’s massive transportation system.

All these industries will rely on regulatory and policy frameworks guided by scientific data and technical information, some of which will come from another Biden executive action implementing science- and evidence-based decision-making in federal agencies.

Biden is also re-establishing the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology(PCAST) and convening a Climate Summit of international leaders to re-engage with the world community in April.

Attention is focused on the Biden administration, because unless Congress includes climate provisions in a new coronavirus relief bill, or as stand-alone legislation, the primary federal climate policy pathway will remain presidential executive actions.

Why should government be involved in fostering markets for climate-friendly technologies?

Many of America’s biggest high-technology industries today, such as aerospace and computers, became international market leaders thanks to government policies and national security priorities.

Remember that protecting the climate helps enhance America’s national security, as climate hazards threaten infrastructure, health, water and food security in various parts of the world, leading to dangerous instability and conflicts.

At the state level, Florida has already experienced significant and costly climate impacts, from rising sea levels, “sunny day flooding” and more-intense hurricanes.

Shortly after taking office from climate-denying Gov. Rick Scott at the beginning of 2019, Gov. Ron DeSantis showed a refreshing willingness to tackle climate change by creating the post of Chief Resilience Officer to oversee and coordinate the state’s response to this threat.

However, the new Chief Resilience Officer appointed by DeSantis left the post after just six months in 2019 and it remains vacant.

Climate change is not going away, though.

To address climate change on a regional basis, South Florida counties and municipalities have joined together to form the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact, which has conducted successful collaboration and coalition-building work since its creation in 2009 by Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties.

This and other resilience work by South Florida’s counties and municipalities is important, but statewide coordination, along with state legislative support for critical climate-protection measures, is critical to ensure the greatest protection for all Floridians.

From Florida to Washington, D.C., climate change has impacts on everyone.

As national leaders step up to the plate, Americans can, and will, turn the climate challenge into beneficial opportunities for renewed economic growth, prosperity and public health.

Craig Cox is a Fort Lauderdale-based consultant in government relations.

“The Invading Sea” is the opinion arm of the Florida Climate Reporting Network, a collaborative of news organizations across the state focusing on the threats posed by the warming climate.

 

Tags: Craig CoxGov. Rick ScottGov. Ron DeSantisPresident Joe BidenSoutheast Florida Regional Climate Change Compactsunny day floodingthe Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
Previous Post

With Biden as president, the EPA can return to the business of protecting Florida and the nation from climate change

Next Post

Floridians have spent decades destroying wetlands and natural areas; there was a small victory in Martin County recently

Related Posts

The federal government should revive a New Deal program to fight climate change
Influencers

The federal government should revive a New Deal program to fight climate change

by Nathan Crabbe
March 1, 2021
It’s always darkest before the dawn
Influencers

Local elected officials in Florida don’t have the money or political support to combat the rising sea

by Jim Carroll
February 23, 2021
Covid-19, hurricane season and plastics – oh my!
Influencers

Recycling is not the solution to the plastic pollution crisis

by Catherine Uden
February 23, 2021
Next Post
Floridians have spent decades destroying wetlands and natural areas; there was a small victory in Martin County recently

Floridians have spent decades destroying wetlands and natural areas; there was a small victory in Martin County recently

Twitter Facebook

About the Project

The Invading Sea is a collaboration by news organizations across Florida to address the threat we face from sea-level rise. We want to raise awareness, amplify the voice of our region and create a call to action that can’t be ignored. Read More

Archives

Categories

Audio Editorials Faces of Sea Level Rise Influencers In The News Other The Business of Climate Change Video

Watch How the Water Will Rise

sea level rise map
See what happens to your neighborhood as the sea level rises with this interactive map from Climate Central.

© 2021 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • Editorials
    • Earlier opinion pieces in South Florida media about climate, rising seas
  • In the News
  • Resources
    • What You Can Do
    • Frequently Asked Questions

© 2021 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In