A prominent topic of the 2020 presidential election was how each candidate would approach the issue of climate change and the environment. The American people heard very mixed answers ranging from comments about clean water to banning fracking.

Eventually, Joe Biden won the election with the big plan of getting America on track to a 100% clean energy economy and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

A significant portion of this includes reducing the amount of fossil fuel emissions by ending subsidies for fossil fuels and apprehending companies and individuals who don’t follow this law.

LAHS Junior Mikayla Lowe said, “With Biden reducing coal and oil reliance with transformative innovations involving greenhouse gas emissions, the air quality in many communities will become safer. There have been too many times where going outside was unhealthy due to smog and the wildfire ashes”.

Biden’s plan also includes funding many local projects that will directly impact small communities, including local clean transportation and improved water infrastructure in cities like Flint, Michigan.

As America switches over to renewable energy, Biden plans to invest in coal and power plant communities to create union jobs that favor clean energy sources.

Regarding the environment, this plan is larger than anything President Trump accomplished in his four years in office. Some Americans are eager to see this shift in climate leadership.

“I feel like Biden will indeed take more control on the issues of climate change as he put climate change at the center of his campaign. Trump doubts climate scientists and did not take the California wildfires as seriously as he should’ve as president,” said Lowe.

Halting the climate crisis through government policy will reduce the severity of natural disasters, including California brush fires.

The Paris Agreement was a prominent topic at the presidential debates after Donald Trump withdrew the US from it in 2017. Biden claims that in his first day in office, he will lead America in rejoining the Paris Agreement.

The Paris Agreement is a plan voted on by over 180 countries that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to keep the global temperature from rising 2℃.

“In all honesty our Earth is dying and is becoming uninhabitable. Earth is our only home and more needs to be done because by changing the way our economy works might hurt America now, but in the long run, it will truly be a significant benefit,” said Lowe.