WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order to make the federal government carbon-neutral by 2050, aiming for a 65 percent reduction in planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and an all-electric fleet of car and trucks five years later.
The White House said the order shows how the government will “leverage its scale and procurement power to lead by example in tackling the climate crisis.” The order will reduce emissions across federal operations, as part of a governmentwide effort to confront climate change.
The order directs that government buildings use 100 percent carbon pollution-free electricity by 2030; that the US fleet of cars and trucks become all-electric by 2035; and that federal contracts for goods and services be carbon-free by 2050.
Government buildings should be carbon-free by 2045, including a 50 percent emissions cut by 2032, Biden said.
The executive action is a part of Biden’s commitment to support the growth of clean energy and clean technology industries, while accelerating US progress toward achieving a carbon pollution-free electricity sector by 2035, the White House said.
“The United States government will lead by example to provide a strong foundation for American businesses to compete and win globally in the clean energy economy while creating well-paying, union jobs at home,” the White House said in a statement.