The president set out to leave a legacy on nation’s most carbon-rich forests. Experts say he dropped the ball.
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Illustration:MaddieAbuyuan/HuffPost;Photo:AlexWong/GettyImages
SportingaviatorsunglassesandstandinginfrontofalecternlastmonthinManaus,Brazil,intheheartoftheAmazon,outgoingPresidentJoeBidenspokeoftheimportanceofsafeguardingtheworld’scarbon-richforests—amessagehedeliverednumeroustimesthroughouthistenure.
“Themostpowerfulsolutionwehavetofightclimatechangeisallaroundus:theworld’sforests,”Bidensaid,becomingthefirstsittingpresidenttovisittheworld’slargestrainforest.“Treesbreathecarbondioxideoutoftheatmosphere.Andyeteachminute,theworldischoppingdowntheequivalentof10soccerfields’worthofforests.”
BidenwentontotouttheU.S.asa“leader”intheglobalfightagainstdeforestationandplanet-warminggreenhousegasemissions,highlightingamongotherthingshisadministration’sgoalofconserving30%oflandsandwatersby2030andhissignatureclimatelaw,theInflationReductionAct,whichincludedahistoric$369
