Biden signs orders to cut oil, gas and coal emissions to tackle climate crisis

Joe Biden argues it’s ‘time to act’ as he announces US will host leaders summit in April.

Joe Biden denies his policies will cost jobs, saying more will be created in renewable energy than lost in traditional fossil fuel industries. Picture: AFP

Joe Biden has vowed that the US would lead the world’s charge to confront the “existential threat” of the climate crisis, as he signed a raft of new orders and announced a global summit in April.

The US President on Thursday AEDT issued sweeping orders aimed at tackling climate change by cutting oil, gas and coal emissions while doubling energy production from offshore wind turbines.

Mr Biden denied that his policies would cost jobs, saying he would create more jobs in renewable energy than he would lose in traditional fossil fuel industries such as coal and oil. However, the President faces a backlash in states such as West Virginia and Kentucky, which are heavily reliant on fossil fuel industries.

“When I think of climate change and the answers to it, I think of jobs,”″Mr Biden said.

“We’re going to put people to work. We’re not going to lose jobs. These aren’t pie-in-the-sky dreams. These are concrete actionable solutions. And we know how to do this.”

But Republicans attacked Mr Biden’s policy, saying it would crush jobs for families in fossil fuel industries.

“America has become the world leader in energy production and a major exporter of oil and natural gas, strengthening our ­national security and boosting our economy for hard-working families,” House of Representatives Republican whip Steve Scalise said.

“In less than a week, the Biden administration has placed these jobs and accomplishments at risk by waging an assault on American energy, as well as the good jobs and low energy costs that go with it.”

Mr Biden said his policies would “supercharge our administration’s ambitious plan to confront the existential threat of climate change”. He said: “We can’t wait any longer. We see with our own eyes. We know it in our bones. It is time to act.”″

John Kerry says the US will be willing to work with China on climate negotiations. Picture: AFP

The President has set a goal of eliminating pollution from fossil fuel in the power sector by 2035 and from the entire US economy by 2050.

Mr Biden has appointed former secretary of state John Kerry as his international climate envoy and said the US would host a Leaders’ Climate Summit on April 22, the fifth anniversary of the signing ceremony of the Paris agreement.

Mr Kerry earlier said the US would be willing to work with China on climate negotiations, ­despite the two countries’ disagreements on other issues ranging from intellectual property theft to South China Sea tensions.

“Those issues will never be traded for anything that has to do with climate, that’s not going to happen. But climate is a critical standalone issue that we have to deal on,” Mr Kerry said.

Environment groups applauded the administration for getting the ball rolling on its green promises. John Morton, former senior ­director for Energy and Climate Change in Barack Obama’s White House who is now at climate ­advisory firm Pollination, told Agence France-Presse the actions “should leave no doubt that ­climate change will be front and centre priority throughout this ­administration”.

Meanwhile a poll released on Thursday found that Mr Biden has a higher approval rating after one week in office than Donald Trump did in his entire presidency.

A Monmouth University poll showed 54 per cent of Americans approving of Mr Biden’s performance and 30 per cent disapproving.

Mr Trump spent most of his presidency with ratings in the low 40s, and left office on January 20 with a Gallup poll approval of just 34 per cent, a record low.

A Morning Consult tracking poll published on Monday gave Mr Biden 56 per cent approval and 34 per cent disapproval.

Despite the strong showing for the Democrat, the results also demonstrate severe polarisation in the US after Mr Trump’s four-year term. In the Monmouth poll, Mr Biden won 90 per cent approval from Democrats but only 47 per cent from independents and 15 per cent from Republicans.