US climate and clean energy investments have come under threat after Democrat Senator Joe Manchin indicated his unwillingness to support a federal budget reconciliation deal. The legislative package is seen as critical to meeting President Joe Biden’s goal of reducing US greenhouse gas emissions at least 50% by 2030. Manchin’s position would effectively block the passage of measures include investments in clean energy, vehicle electrification, industrial decarbonisation. The development caused fellow Democrat Senator Jeff Merkley to call for Biden to “use the full scope of his executive powers to address climate chaos”. “We need federal clean energy legislation to reduce dependence on expensive, volatile global energy markets and supply chains, strengthen US energy security and economic competitiveness,” said Zach Friedman, Director of Federal Policy at Ceres.
President Biden must immediately use the full scope of his executive powers to address climate chaos, starting by declaring a climate
emergency.https://t.co/v1F3yMOLNu— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) July 15, 2022
