Published on January 23rd, 2021
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed a series of executive orders to reverse some of the worst environmental decisions of the Trump Administration, highlighted by his revoking of the Keystone XL permit issued under Trump.
By Dan Bacher
Immediately following his inauguration on January 20, President Biden signed Executive Orders that take “critical first steps to address the climate crisis, create good union jobs, and advance environmental justice, while reversing the previous administration’s harmful policies,” according to a fact sheet issued by the Department of Interior under Biden as President.
Restoring National Monuments
NationofChange
Hours after his inauguration, Biden signed a total of 17 executive orders, memorandums and proclamations.
epa08615688 A framegrab from the Democratic National Convention Committee livestream showing Joe Biden speaking during the final night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, 20 August 2020. The convention, which was expected to draw 50,000 people to the city, is now taking place virtually due to coronavirus pandemic concerns. EPA-EFE/DNCC
President Joe Biden officially took office Wednesday, and immediately set to work reversing some of former President Donald Trump‘s environmental policies.
As he did on his campaign and transition website, Biden emphasized the climate crisis as one of the major challenges facing his administration, along with the coronavirus pandemic and systemic racism.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney on Tuesday urged Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take steps to save the pipeline permit, saying its revocation “would damage the Canada-U.S. bilateral relationship.”
Montreal, Canada – Opponents of the contentious Keystone XL pipeline are welcoming United States President Joe Biden’s decision to nix the multibillion-dollar project, saying the move provides a “sense of vindication” in their years-long fight.
Matthew Campbell, a staff lawyer at the Native American Rights Fund, which has represented Indigenous groups in lawsuits against the project, said the move recognises “that the tribes will be heavily impacted by the pipeline and so it should not be approved”.
Just hours after he was inaugurated, Biden cancelled his predecessor President Donald Trump’s approval of Keystone XL, a 1,947km (1,210 mile) pipeline that was set to stretch from the Canadian province of Alberta to the US state of Nebraska.
Editor s note: This story has been updated with additional comments from bishops and Catholic Relief Services.
In one of his first acts in office, President Joe Biden began the process for the U.S. to rejoin the Paris Agreement on climate change and to reestablish the scores of environmental regulations undone by his predecessor in the Oval Office.
Biden, seated at the Resolute Desk in the West Wing of the White House, signed the notice to re-enter the Paris accord Jan. 20 just hours after taking the oath of office. It was later deposited with the United Nations, and under the agreement, will take effect in 30 days, or Feb. 19. The U.S. will also have to submit a new greenhouse gas emissions-reduction plan.