Everything You Need to Know About Biden and the Green New Deal

By Allyson Haskins

Most advocates in the environmental community are aware that 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is the best candidate to save the planet. However, there has been much confusion regarding the specific steps that Biden will take if elected to mitigate climate change. One of the biggest ambiguities is the fact that the Biden campaign website claims support for the Green New Deal, yet in the first Presidential Debate, Biden affirmed that this is not true.

So, does Biden actually support the Green New Deal? And, if he doesn’t, then what is he going to do to combat climate change?

First, let’s take a look at what the Green New Deal entails. The Green New Deal is a fourteen-paged resolution that was released on February 7, 2019 by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Edward Markey. The Green New Deal pushes for a just transition in the United States to 100% renewable, zero-emission energy sources. This includes investments into electric cars and high-speed rail systems, while implementing the social cost of carbon, which was a part of the Obama administration’s (that Biden worked under) plans to address climate change. The deal also aims to address poverty, calls for universal health care, increased minimum wages, and prevent monopolies. You may be thinking, ‘Woah, this seems too good to be true’, and in a way, it is.

The Green New Deal will cost not thousands, not millions, but trillions of dollars to succeed. All this money will be used to basically turn our energy economy upside down, while simultaneously accomplishing income redistribution and social justice. The idea that we can successfully move from our current economic model to one with only renewable energy in ten years is a bit impossible. As of now, only 9% of our electricity is sourced from wind and solar, so to shift to 100% while also replacing gasoline and diesel cars, trucks, and tractors with electric vehicles will require a lot of renewable power. 

Despite these downsides, the Green New Deal, in my opinion, is not a bad idea overall. It would definitely run much smoother though if more elected officials in general didn’t refuse to believe that climate change is real. Even our current president and vice-president cannot admit that climate change is real, which is why a vote for the blue candidate would be better for this planet.

According to Biden’s website, Biden has recognized that “there is no greater challenge facing our country and our world” than climate change. So, he has outlined a new plan known as the Clean Energy Revolution. The Clean Energy Revolution, or the Biden Plan, plans to ensure that the United States achieves a 100% clean energy economy with net-zero emissions by no later than 2050. Biden even goes as far as to say that on day one he will sign a series of new executive orders that will go even beyond what the Obama-Biden Administration platform did for climate change and put the world on the right track.

Biden makes a lot of ‘on day one’ promises throughout his website’s run-down of his plans, further stating that he will make smart infrastructure investments to rebuild the nation and ensure that buildings, transportation, and energy infrastructure will no longer be impacted by climate change. He also promises to try his best to ‘rally’ the rest of the world into fighting against climate change together. Under his presidency, he will recommit the United States to the Paris Agreement on climate change, lead an effort for every major country to increase the ambition of their climate targets, and will make sure that each commitment is transparent and enforceable.

The Green New Deal comments on the disproportionate harm that communities of color and low-income communities have suffered by the power of polluters, and promises to rid America of such inequality. Biden agrees with this deal and promises that his administration will take action against fossil fuel companies or any other pollutants that knowingly harm the environment and profit off of marginalized communities. 

Overall, the Green New Deal and the Clean Energy Revolution are two very different things. But at the same time, they both uphold many of the same ideals. These ideals are key to helping mitigate climate change and saving this planet. While you may find that the Green New Deal is a better plan or believe that Biden won’t follow through with most of his plans, it is still important to vote blue if you are able to.

Right now, as sad as it may be, we have to settle for Biden to not only save this planet, but to stop America from forming into a country full of injustice. Use your vote on a presidential candidate who can actively admit that climate change is a real threat to this world, and use your voice to spread this information to others who can vote to save this planet too. 

Action Guide:

For more information on how to register to vote, vote in person, vote by mail, or find a ballot drop box near you, visit https://www.vote.org.

Graphic Credits:

Collage by Yamila Frej

Candidate Images: Newsweek, LA Times

Green Background: Getty Images/IStockPhoto