New Study: USA Must Reduce Emissions By At Least 57 Percent To Achieve Paris

According to a new analysis, the US needs to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 57% to 63% from 2005 levels by 2030 for the Biden administration to reach its net zero emissions target by 2050.

Climate Action Tracker (CAT) analyzed President Joe Biden’s plans to decarbonise the electricity sector, commercial buildings, and new vehicle fleet, and found that the US must reduce its emissions by 57% by the end of 10 years to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees.

The analysis preceded the US announcing its new Paris Agreement pledge for 2030, known as the National Contribution Statements (NDC), ahead of the climate leaders summit that the country will host on April 22.

EU officials and environmental groups are calling on Washington to reduce emissions by at least 50% in this decade from 2005 levels.

Bill Hare of Climate Analytics, a partner at CAT, with the NewClimate Institute, said, “The US action will reverberate around the world and lead other countries to adopt the kind of goals they need to make global net zero a reality,” said Bill Hare.

Other environmental groups, including the Association of Concerned Scientists (UCS), the World Resources Institute and the Environmental Defense Fund, joined the Natural Resources Defense Council and set a reduction target of about 50% for 2030.

Led by National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy and Climate Ambassador John Kerry, Biden’s climate team works with all government agencies and holds meetings with utilities and auto companies in achieving their new goal.

The CAT report says the Biden administration’s plan to decarbonize the US electricity sector by 2035 is consistent with the Paris Agreement, but must strengthen plans to reduce emissions in buildings and vehicles.