BUILDING A SECURE AND SUSTAINABLE 21ST CENTURY - JANUARY 2021 Opportunities for the Biden Administration - Center for Development and ...
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BUILDI
NGASECUREAND
SUSTAINABLE21STCENTURY
Opportuni
ties forthe Bi
den Admi
nistrati
on
JANUARY 2021Building a Secure and Sustainable 21st Century:
Opportunities for the Biden Administration
Jackie Berkowitz, David Harary, Emma Arielle Schaechter,
Yaniv Cohen, Gretta Elizondo
INTRODUCTION
The Biden administration has an opportunity to top-down and bottom-up. Within the Federal
implement policies to bring about sustainable Government, the Biden administration will have
development in realistic, actionable ways. some ability to reach compromise on Capitol Hill
Sustainable development enables access to and institute policy reforms. The administration
resources in a way that is more equitable and will also have opportunities to restructure and
healthier for the planet. When people’s basic guide federal departments and agencies through
needs such as food, water, shelter, and energy executive orders, aligning them to bolster both
are met, the whole of society becomes more the mitigation and adaptation of climate change.
resilient, conflicts are less likely and the impacts We strongly believe that the creation of a White
of disasters are mitigated. Peoples’ security House Office on Climate Change would be an
depends on sustainability. Through pursuing effective way to coordinate these tasks.
sustainable development objectives, the Furthermore, Climate 21’s recommendation to
incoming administration has an opportunity to embed climate action throughout all levels of the
bolster security in an era of unprecedented Federal Government would help ensure the
change. wide-ranging accelerating threats of climate
change are addressed.
We at the Center for Development and Strategy
propose a series of recommendations the new At the grassroots level, the administration
administration can take to support sustainable should work across a wide range of stakeholders
development and create a more secure future to form coalitions that can advance sustainable
both at home and abroad. The U.S. has an development outcomes. Cities and states act as
unparalleled ability to tackle the complex and America’s laboratories for sustainability planning
multifaceted challenges of today. From and policy and have continued to advance
pandemics to ecological collapse to climate sustainability outcomes over the past four years.
change, the U.S. is well positioned to confront A common lesson learned from their
these issues. However, the U.S. will not be able experimentation is that public-private
to solve climate change and raise environmental partnerships can provide effective mechanisms
security on its own. The U.S. needs to reassert its for implementing holistic climate change
global leadership through the multilateral solutions. The Biden administration should
institutions it played a central role in creating therefore double down on the Federal
following World War II. Through that leadership Government’s partnership with not only state
the U.S. can help to secure sustainable solutions and local authorities, but also private and civil
for the 21st century. society sectors in implementing local sustainable
development projects. The private sector, in
SUSTAINABILITY AT ALL LEVELS particular, has a fundamental role to play in
achieving the U.S.’ climate objectives. The Biden
Carrying out sustainable development initiatives
will require integrated approaches that are both administration has opportunities to work with
1them through public-private partnerships and campaign platform includes a promise to “tackle
science-based regulatory actions. water pollution in a science-based manner.” The
Biden administration could begin to act on this
DOMESTIC POLICY promise by reinstating the Stream Protection
Rule and the Great Lakes Restoration initiatives
RECOMMENDATIONS
rolled back by the Trump administration. These
The following recommendations are intended to
regulations are important to reduce water
further sustainable development in the U.S.
pollution and protect the freshwater
ecosystems. Water-use policies should be
SECURE A HIGH-QUALITY ENVIRONMENT
reviewed to address water scarcity concerns,
The Biden administration has an opportunity to
particularly in the agriculture sector.
rebuild and revamp foundational policies that
protect the environment. In just four years, the
Biden’s platform highlighted his intent to include
Trump administration rolled back dozens of
PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances) limits in the
climate and environmental regulations. The
Safe Drinking Water Act. While this step is
administration’s first step should be to undo the
welcome, more action will be required to ensure
damage done to the Environmental Protection
secure water resources. The Biden
Agency (EPA) under Trump and provide the
administration should take steps to enhance
agency with stability, resources, and direction.
water quality standards through the
Strengthening regulations on air and water
enforcement of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
pollutants, from methane leakage to waste
Other initiatives can be introduced to improve
management, is vital for ensuring ecological
drinking water infrastructure as well as water
stability across the country and realigning the
quality monitoring systems for underserved
U.S. with international climate goals. Protecting
communities.
federal and American Indian lands is also
important to conserve remaining wilderness
EFFECTIVELY REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS
areas in the U.S. Significant initiatives could
EMISSIONS
include banning oil and gas exploration and
The Biden Campaign promised to sign executive
development in ecologically significant areas
orders on day one so that the U.S. “achieves a
such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and
100% clean energy economy and reaches
expanding Bears Ears and Grand
net-zero emissions no later than 2050.” The
Staircase-Escalante National Monuments.
Biden administration should set firm and
Critical for a clean future, the administration
quantifiable targets for their clean energy and
should enhance regulations that increase the
emission reduction goals. The targets should
environmental safety of fracking, oil rigs,
incorporate both long-term and interim
pipelines, and similar extractive infrastructure. It
science-based emissions reductions, aligned with
is also important to return the National
the objectives of the Paris Agreement in order to
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to its
limit global temperature rise to well below 2
pre-Trump state. Fully reinstating NEPA is key
degrees centigrade by the end of the century. This
toward developing environmental progress.
will allow for the tracking of energy and
emission goals over time, which will bolster
accountability.
Clean Water for All
Clean water is vital for healthy ecosystems, food
Biden has stated that he will set a greenhouse
production, and human consumption. Biden’s
gas emissions reduction target for 2025, the end
2of his first term as president. Further milestones rural America. The U.S. can follow Canada's
should include setting target dates every four carbon tax model, which is focused on passing
years to coincide with future presidential terms. the revenues back to individuals via rebates as a
The Biden administration's goals are ambitious way of limiting the tax's impact on taxpayers and
given the current state of high partisan division securing political buy-in.
in the country. However, any strategy employed
must support critical economic sectors, such as BUILD RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE
energy, transportation and agriculture to 21ST CENTURY
transition toward a low-carbon future. Net zero Physical infrastructure such as electricity grids,
emissions by 2050 can be achieved through a bridges, dams, and highway systems throughout
combination of policies and initiatives such as the U.S. are in dire need of updates and repairs.
investments in renewable energy, implementing U.S. infrastructure received a D+ in the American
a carbon tax, creating energy efficiency Society of Civil Engineer’s 2017 Infrastructure
standards for buildings and automobiles, and Report Card, the same as in 2013. The new
retrofitting energy inefficient buildings and administration has an opportunity to repair
infrastructure. existing infrastructure to be better prepared for
worsening weather events and sea level rise.
Price on Carbon Consistent with its “build back better” motto, the
Last December, the International Monetary Fund Biden administration should develop resilient
(IMF) stated that the world would need to reach infrastructure to face climate change threats.
a global price on carbon of $75 per ton by 2030
in order to meet the goals of the Paris Sustainable infrastructure needs to address both
Agreement. The likelihood Capitol Hill could put a climate mitigation and adaptation. Using
price on carbon emissions is increasing. A sustainable materials and construction
growing bipartisan movement to enact basic techniques can reduce industrial and embedded
action on climate is the main driver for such carbon emissions and help the Biden
hopes. Accounting for the negative externalities administration progress toward other
of climate change through either a carbon tax or environmentally related goals. The Biden
cap and trade system provides a cost-effective, administration must also prepare for the
market-based solution. While a high price on increasing severity and frequency of physical
carbon would be most preferable, a low $40 tax climate risks. The U.S. has one of the highest
per ton tax of carbon dioxide equivalents, which exposures to climate risk globally. Resilience
is proposed by a group of conservatives at the measures are critical to lessen the impacts from
Climate Leadership Council, would be a physical climate risks moving forward.
reasonable base for the new administration to
negotiate from. However, the Biden Building flood barriers that apply
administration should stipulate increases to a ecological-based solutions, such as planting
carbon tax that meets or exceeds the $75 per mangroves, can protect against sea level rise.
ton requirement the IMF recommends by 2030. Offering incentives for using fireproof and
sustainable materials for construction could
Revenues from such taxes could be used to fund reduce vulnerability to increasing wildfires
further sustainable development initiatives throughout the Pacific and Mountain West
across the country, including funding renewable regions. The Biden administration should
energy projects or public transportation develop resilient infrastructure in a sustainable
initiatives that bridge divides between urban and manner, which would help mitigate the
3long-term impacts climate change has on the consumption will also help reduce marine and
U.S. freshwater pollution.
FOSTER SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROTECT COASTLINE, MARINE, AND
The Biden administration should encourage FRESHWATER HABITATS
agricultural practices that reduce environmental Our oceans and waterways are vital for the
impact and greenhouse gas emissions. global carbon cycle and regulating climate. They
Agriculture accounts for ten percent of also ensure food and water security for billions
greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., but its of people around the globe. However, marine
large role in land management also provides it ecosystems and coastal populations face
enormous potential for carbon sequestration and heightened risk from climate change, ocean
the deployment of renewable energy. Farmers in acidification, and pollution. Global efforts to
the U.S. and around the world are therefore protect coastline, marine, and freshwater
uniquely positioned to mitigate the effects of habitats are necessary to safeguard these
climate change through practices that sequester life-sustaining services.
carbon and reduce GHG emissions.
The Biden administration’s strategy to reduce
The Biden administration can incentivize farmers GHG emissions will be essential toward
to adopt environment-friendly practices and long-term marine protection and to avoid
strategies that improve farming resilience to increased ocean acidification, which is
extreme weather events by providing a ranking particularly detrimental to communities that rely
of best practices for sustainability in agriculture, on fisheries. Remediating these effects starts
as well as support, recognition, and payment for with limiting pollutants at their source: GHG
their implementation. To make this possible, the emissions produced from fossil fuels.
administration should build up USDA’s capacity
to coordinate climate and conservation research, Scientific studies prove the success marine
as well as increase their capacity to bridge the protected areas bring to both fisheries and
gap between research and practice. The aquatic ecosystems. Following President
adoption and thorough implementation of the Obama’s example, the Biden administration
Agriculture Resilience Act (H.R. 5861) is highly should put forward a call to nominate new
encouraged. National Marine Sanctuaries that will protect a
greater acreage of oceanic, freshwater, and
Initiatives to further reduce pathways whereby estuarine habitat. Protecting fragile marine
pollutants can enter oceans and rivers should ecosystems that contain corals is especially
also be proposed. Overuse of fertilizers in the important given the ongoing collapse of coral
Mississippi River basin, Lake Erie, and elsewhere reefs due to warming oceans. Thus, the Biden
harm underwater ecosystems as well as public administration should also bolster government
health. The Biden administration should consider initiatives and partnerships that support the
passing new federal laws that limit the use of assessment, conservation, incubation, and
nitrogen and phosphorus in overly abundant recovery of these fragile yet necessary marine
quantities, especially near major bodies of water invertebrates. In support of these initiatives, the
and their tributaries. Additionally, as animal Biden administration could pledge alongside the
agriculture manure is a primary source of United Kingdom, Canada, and the European
nitrogen and phosphorus to surface and Union to declare 30 percent of land and sea as
groundwater, efforts to reduce meat protected areas by 2030 .
4The Biden administration should also propose Administration, the National Oceanic and
new laws that reduce the millions of tons of Atmospheric Administration, the Department of
plastic that end up in the ocean globally each Agriculture, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
year. Implementing a national ban or tax on Gathering proper environmental intelligence is a
single-use plastics would be an effective step. bi-partisan mission that has a history of strong
Currently, eight states have implemented some support from both sides of the aisle.
form of a ban on single-use plastics, primarily
single-use plastic bags, but this could be SECURE FOOD AND WATER AVAILABILITY
extended to other single-use plastics and states. As climate change compounds environmental
degradation, the Biden administration has an
FOREIGN POLICY opportunity to demonstrate U.S. commitment to
RECOMMENDATIONS global environmental security. Food and water
The following recommendations will further security worldwide are threatened by
global stability through sustainable aggravated droughts, fires, hurricanes, and
development. floods. Through USAID’s Bureau for Resilience
and Food Security, the Biden administration can
ACCELERATE ENVIRONMENTAL INTELLIGENCE work at the nexus of food security and
TECHNOLOGIES environmental change to secure effective
The incoming administration should improve adaptations to the expected changes in climate.
prediction and quick-reaction capabilities
through investments in cutting-edge Leveraging existing food security programs, the
technologies that utilize quantum computing, administration should expand USAID’s Feed the
remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and Future program and require emphasizing the
machine learning. growing challenges that climate change will add,
so that sustainable and adaptive measures may
New computing technologies, sensors, artificial be further incorporated. The Biden
intelligence, and space launch innovations have administration should consider growing the
enabled scientists and policymakers to more program past the current 12 partner nations and
accurately predict and prepare society for short including smaller nations like the Marshall
and long-term environmental threats. Regional Islands, where sea level rise has altered the
and country-specific resource insecurity can ability of locals to grow crops. Increased aid to
now be forecasted through early warning models developing nations’ environments can also be
that integrate meteorological, economic, and delivered by greater contributions to the Global
social resilience conditions. Artificial intelligence Environment Facility, to which the Biden
and machine learning can assist these models in administration will have the ability to increase
data processing to make sense of the enormous the U.S.’ pledge in 2022.
amount of imagery and data being captured by
Earth observation satellites. Promote Sustainable Diets
Consumer food demand is a primary driver of
The U.S. must continue to share Earth science overly exploitative agricultural practices around
data with allies through the State Department the world. These damage ecosystems, erode
and international affairs offices within the soils, reduce biodiversity, and contribute to
Department of Defense and scientific agencies greenhouse gas emissions. By 2050, the world
such as the National Aeronautics and Space will have to feed ten billion people, while
per-person consumer demand is expected to
5increase. However, food consumption habits CONCLUSION
today are already beyond the planet’s While not intended to be comprehensive and
sustainable capacity. The biodiversity loss complete in scope, this brief outlines key
potential is exceptionally high, though it is areas the Biden administration should focus
difficult to state in monetary terms. their domestic and foreign policy efforts on in
order to help ensure a sustainable and secure
In order to feed ten billion people and prevent future. Given the increase in American political
damage to ecosystems, the world will need to polarization in recent years, we advocate for
adopt sustainable diets, reduce food waste, and realistic sustainable development initiatives.
intensify sustainable agricultural production. There is far more to be done. If implemented,
This food transformation needs to start now. The these recommendations would remediate the
Biden administration should facilitate damages of climate change and biodiversity
international coordination efforts to promote collapse that threaten global security.
sustainable diets, and nations around the world
can do this by adding climate-driven ambitions
to their national dietary guidelines and by
incorporating changing food consumption
patterns into the Paris Agreement’s nationally The Center for Development and Strategy
determined contributions. On this topic, we 501(c)(3) is exploring the nexus of global
recommend the strategic guidelines of the development, sustainability, and security in an
EAT-Lancet Commission, calling for shifts era of unprecedented change. Led by a younger
toward healthy and sustainable diets, reducing generation, CDS has a unique perspective on the
food waste, and intensifying sustainable dynamic and complex state of environmental
production of healthy food. security in the 21st century.
REJOIN THE PARIS ACCORD
The international community has shown robust
support for the Paris Climate Agreement and
fighting climate change. Rejoining the Paris
Climate Agreement with bold commitments can
help restore international confidence in the U.S.
and encourage a wave of bold climate action
from other nations and civil society. As the
world’s largest economy and second highest
greenhouse gas emitter, the U.S. has a
responsibility to meaningfully slow down climate
change by reducing emissions, investing in
carbon sink technologies, and accelerating the
transition to renewable energy. Not only will
rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement bode well
for U.S. foreign relations, but it will also create
millions of high-paying jobs for Americans in the
clean energy industry and increase the health of
both the U.S. and global populations by reducing
air pollution.
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