Today, nearly 100 civil society organizations sent a letter to the Biden administration urging climate action that prioritizes the world’s most vulnerable communities. The letter urges the administration to commit to the equivalent of 195% reductions of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels, as the U.S. “fair share” of the global effort to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. This stands in stark contrast to the 50% reduction by 2030 target that some expect the administration to announce during or before the Leaders’ Climate Summit being held on Earth Day later this week.
The letter also calls on the United States to provide significantly increased support for climate action internationally, including for adaptation measures to support communities who are already struggling to cope with climate impacts and compensation for loss and damage from climate change impacts.
The signatory organizations cite the recently released “Fair Shares Nationally Determined Contribution” (“Fair Shares NDC”) which is based on the status of the United States as the world’s wealthiest country and largest historical carbon polluter. The Fair Shares NDC provides a roadmap of measures to achieve the necessary emissions cuts.
The letter was delivered the same day as a letter from members of Congress, which similarly urged the administration to set an ambitious target aligned with the Fair Shares NDC.
The organizations, which include groups from the environmental, environmental justice, development, faith, and youth communities, sent a message to President Biden: “This is the yardstick by which we will measure the U.S. NDC, gauging its ability to move us toward a healthy and just future where global temperature rise is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius.”
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Communications contact: Molly Boyle, molly.boyle@fpmgi.com, 202-777-3668.