WASHINGTON — President Biden on Sunday called on the leaders he visits to take action to protect the environment. amazon rainforest It was the first ever visit by a sitting US president, and he warned that “history is literally watching us now.”
“I am proud to be here today as the first sitting U.S. president to visit the Amazon Rainforest and to recommit to protecting the rainforest,” the president said. He added: “The fight to protect our planet will literally be a human fight for generations to come.”
Biden has made tackling climate change a priority A key part of his policy agendaapproved legislation that would reduce emissions while putting the country on track for a green energy transition. With Sunday’s visit, the president emphasized his commitment Part of what the White House calls Biden’s “historic climate legacy” is to fight global deforestation and conserve forests.
“Fighting climate change is the defining cause of my presidency,” the president said, including rejoining the Paris Agreement, launching a global methane reduction pledge, and delivering climate financing. emphasized. During his visit, the president announced that the United States had met its goal of increasing climate funding to more than $11 billion a year, up from $1.5 billion a year when Biden took office. He also designated November 17 as International Conservation Day, and his administration announced new conservation initiatives, including $50 million to the Amazon Fund. He also cited the passage of “the most important climate change law in history,” pointing to legislation to reduce carbon while investing in clean energy and creating jobs.
Biden outlined that leaders “don’t have to choose between the environment and the economy,” arguing that they “can do both.”
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Early Sunday morning, Mr. Biden took an aerial tour of the Amazon rainforest, met with local and indigenous leaders, and visited local communities before heading to Rio de Janeiro for the G20 summit with world leaders. Toured the museum.
The visit came after the president attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference in Peru in recent days, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The historic visit comes as climate change advocates warn of the president-elect’s environmental impact. President Donald Trump’s plan to withdraw Biden administration efforts to combat climate change.
The president noted in his speech that his term is coming to an end, saying he will leave his successors and the country with “a solid foundation on which to build if they choose to do so.” Ta.
“Certainly some may try to deny or slow the clean energy revolution underway in America, but no one, no one, can reverse it,” Biden said. “The question now is which government will stand in the way and which will seize the huge economic opportunity.”
