Biden orders clean energy for shipping
The new president issued an executive order calling for clean energy modernization in heavy industries like shipping.
By Michael McGrady, Maritime Direct Americas Correspondent
President Joe Biden has issued a new executive order that could significantly impact the shipping and offshore sectors, reports several industry news media outlets and the White House press office.
On January 27, 2021, Biden signed an “Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.” The order focuses the government back on scientific-based climate change and environmental policy.
The executive order calls for “enhanced climate ambition” that transcends several industries, including shipping.
“Recognizing that climate change affects a wide range of subjects, it will be a United States priority to press for enhanced climate ambition and integration of climate considerations across a wide range of international fora, including the Group of Seven (G7), the Group of Twenty (G20), and fora that address clean energy, aviation, shipping, the Arctic, the ocean, sustainable development, migration, and other relevant topics,” reads the order.
Biden also named former Secretary of State John Kerry as his Special Presidential Envoy for Climate — a diplomatic and ceremonial role. The order also established a series of new climate-focused positions.
“It’s a whole-of-government approach to put climate change at the center of our domestic, national security, and foreign policy,” said Biden during remarks he gave about the executive order.
Michael Drysdale, an environmental and administrative law attorney at Dorsey & Whitney LLP, said in a statement that the executive order will drastically change the US government’s policy on climate.
“Like many executive orders, the Climate Crisis Order contained both procedural and substantive elements, imposing some requirements now and setting priorities for future regulatory and diplomatic actions,” Drysdale said. “Much of the Climate Crisis Order is devoted to the overarching policy of ensuring that combating climate change is factored into every level of domestic and international decisionmaking.”
Other critical elements in the executive order include the freeze on new oil and gas leases on federally-owned public lands and the doubling of offshore wind-produced energy by 2030.
Splash 24/7 reported that the executive order also signals to the Democratic-controlled Congress to expedite legislation that will push American shipping towards a European-style emissions trading scheme.
