Going Green and living more sustainably are becoming increasingly necessary as well as more attractive and satisfying. This “Green Page” will look at one sustainability topic each month, with ideas to consider and steps to use individually and as a congregation to care for and honor God’s amazing creation.
Executive Order 14008
Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad
On January 27, 2021, noting that “It is the policy of my Administration that climate considerations shall be an essential element of United States foreign policy and national security,” President Joseph Biden signed Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. The Order makes addressing climate change a top priority for the federal government.
Foreign Policy and National Security: The Order establishes that “climate considerations shall be an essential element of the United States foreign policy and national security,” specifying a range of foreign policy and other diplomatic actions designed to build on the Paris Climate Agreement. The Director of National Intelligence is directed to assess the national and economic security impacts of climate change, and the Secretary of Defense is directed to analyze the security implications of climate change, to be incorporated into the National Defense Strategy and other planning documents. The Secretary of Homeland Security is directed to assess and incorporate into planning documents the implications of climate change in the Arctic, along US borders, and for critical infrastructure.
Environmental Justice: The Order creates a White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council to develop a strategy to address current and historic environmental injustice. It also makes environmental justice a priority for the Department of Justice.
Advancing Conservation, Agriculture, and Reforestation: The Secretary of the Interior is directed to submit a strategy to create a Civilian Climate Corps Initiative to conserve and restore public lands and waters, increase reforestation, increase carbon sequestration in the agricultural sector, protect biodiversity, and address the changing climate. The Secretary is also directed to pause granting new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or offshore waters to the extent possible under law, and identify steps that can be taken to double renewable energy production from offshore wind by 2030.
Government-Wide Approach to the Climate Crisis: The Order establishes the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy to coordinate the domestic climate policy-making process. The Order also establishes a National Climate Task Force to be chaired by the National Climate Advisor and composed of leaders from 21 federal agencies and departments, to facilitate the organization and deployment of a government-wide approach to combating the climate crisis.
Mark your calendars for the April Earth Forum:
Sunday, April 19, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.
50 Years of Earth Day!
Theme: Recycling, More Sustainable Practices
You must be logged in to post a comment.