President Joe Biden spoke to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 21. A new goal to double funds by 2024 was announced in an effort to help developing nations struggling against climate change, according to U.S. News and World Report.
Biden called upon Congress in order to raise funds to $11.4 billion per year. This pledge comes ahead of the November climate talks to be held in Glasgow, U.K. However, according to The New York Times, congressional approval is needed before any action is taken.
“I think the pledge is a great thing,” said Suffolk University junior Will Champlin. “I don’t think anyone was really putting money toward it [climate change] before and we didn’t have as many resources, especially towards helping other nations.”
Recent scientific evidence shows that climate change continues to be an existential struggle, in the words of the United Nations Secretary General António Gueterres.
Previously, the 2015 Paris Climate Deal ended with China and the U.S. beginning new negotiations toward the climate crisis, according to the Associated Press. Since then, relations between the two have changed. Though they each announced their pledges separately, the countries are working to find potential solutions.
Conference host and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson discussed the importance of building trust amongst nations, according to the U.S. News and World Report. This comes after prior goals to assemble a $100 billion per year pledge by 2020 failed.
Scientists have found that the global temperature rise needs to fall to 1.5 degrees Celsius (34.7 degrees Fahrenheit) in an effort to curb the crisis. According to The New York Times, if the temperature rises beyond this damaging repercussions such as extreme storms and the crumbling of polar ice will follow.
In addition to the latest pledge, Biden is looking to put money toward a boost in renewable energy and clean electricity, and removing carbon from the current U.S. power sector, according to CNN.
“Making these ambitious investments isn’t just a good climate policy, it’s a chance for each of our countries to invest in ourselves and our own future,” Biden said, according to the U.S. News and World Report.
