KT edit: No time to waste

The Paris Agreement was the first significant step the world community had taken to address one of the most pressing issues of our time. And yet, lack of seriousness on part of outgoing US President Donald Trump’s administration stripped it of several opportunities. Even though the US formally exited the pact only last month, constant denial of changing climatic conditions by Trump sent out wrong messages and failed to inspire people to change their habits for a greener future. Words matter, more so when they are spoken by the leader of the world’s most powerful country.

President-elect Joe Biden’s recent remarks, therefore, are being hailed by the wider world community. There is no time to waste, he said, while rolling out an environmental team that is eager to work on climate goals and put the US back in the leadership position. Perhaps as the US is planning to rejoin the accord, it should set an example by pursuing more ambitious goals in terms of carbon emissions. A decisive climate change policy at the federal level could bring about a change. The US should also work towards making the Paris Agreement more effective. Instead of nonbinding pledges, leaders should be persuaded to make serious commitments that cannot be influenced by any socio-political changes in their respective countries. Global emissions need to be halved by next decade and net zero by mid-century. These targets might seem ambitious but we have the technology to achieve them. All we need are strong policies, regulations, and binding targets to achieve them, especially by the world’s largest carbon emitters, which include China, US, India, and Russia. The Biden administration is making the right noises. It should make the right moves too after it takes charge.