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On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden presented his economic rescue plan for the country. It will spend NOK 20 billion. Not just to repair old infrastructure and create new jobs. It should also move the country away from fossil energy.
This is how the summary of the White House plan begins:
“This is not the time to rebuild as before. This is the time to rethink and rebuild a new economy.”
About NKr 10 billion appears to be earmarked for sectors that fall under the climate and environment umbrella. The world research institute World Resource Institute (WRI) concludes.
Biden has the investigation on his side. Several studies show that money for green conversion is money well spent. It provides two to three times more jobs than similar investments in fossil energy.
In postwar America, the focus was on roads rather than railroads. Both the rails and the wagons have deteriorated. Both maintenance and renovation are needed. American Amtrak trains generally lag behind standard Norwegian trains. Here from Philadelphia on March 31st.
Photo: Matt Rourke / AP
Most in the world on climate and environment
Among the world crown crisis packages, no other country has as much to do with climate and environmental measures as the United States.
Only one economy can compare to the United States. The EU will spend 30 percent of its budget on climate measures. In the United States, the proportion is at least 50 percent, according to the WRI.
By comparison, the climate share of Norway’s rescue package is 2%. The world average is 12 percent.
The final design of the package depends on two things: whether Biden receives Republican support or whether he decides to move forward as aggressively and quickly as Democratic control in Congress allows.
Housing, cars and renewable energy
Inside Climate News has reviewed some of the most important climate and environmental measures in Biden’s proposal:
- NOK 1.817 billion to build, modernize and adapt affordable housing to the climate. This will reduce social inequality and reduce emissions. Housing accounts for 40 percent of emissions in the United States today.
- NOK 1,485 billion for the electrification of the car fleet, 500,000 new charging stations and the electrification of public vehicles.
- NOK 853 billion for the modernization and strengthening of the electricity grid. This will provide capacity for more solar and wind energy.
- NOK 725 billion for the modernization of public transport. Special priority should be given to societies with poor public communication.
- NOK 299 billion for research and development of climate-friendly technology. Among other things, energy storage, carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, nuclear energy and floating offshore wind energy.
- NOK 136 billion for plugging abandoned oil and gas wells and clearing old mines. This will provide employment and at the same time stop methane leaks.
- If Biden delivers on his promise to stop all fossil fuel subsidies, it will amount to NOK 171 billion annually.
- Bidens will establish a federal standard that requires power companies to supply a certain amount of electricity from renewable sources. The goal is 100% emission-free electricity by 2035.
- Biden will spend NOK 85 billion on nature conservation, climate adaptation and environmental rights.
The United States has many abandoned ponds filled with contaminated water. Here a pond at Lee Mountain Mines in Rimini, Montana. The water is contaminated with arsenic, lead, and zinc. Biden will spend NOK 136 billion to clean up abandoned mining areas and old wells after the oil and gas industry.
Photo: Matthew Brown / AP
