San Diego County officials say new climate initiatives under the Biden administration could bolster local efforts to adapt to rising seas, build housing powered by green energy, clean up border pollution, and fund globally recognized climate research.
President-elect Joe Biden has signaled that combating climate change will be part of broader economic and infrastructure packages in his White House, and a tenet of his foreign policy.
As the U.S. officially withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement on Nov. 4, Biden pledged to rejoin the treaty the day of his inauguration. On his website Biden announced goals of bringing the United States to a clean energy economy by 2050, shoring up infrastructure against climate change, aiding communities at risk of climate impacts, and pressing other nations to raise their domestic climate targets. With those actions on the table, local leaders are contemplating what that means for the San Diego region.