President-elect Joe Biden on Saturday said that the United States requires a unified national response to fight climate change while announcing his climate and energy team nominees at The Queen Theatre in Wilmington, Delaware. Introducing members of his environmental team, he told the reporters, “We literally have no time to waste.”
The approach adopted by Joe Biden will try to block or undo damages done during Donald Trump’s presidency, where efforts were made to boost oil and gas production paying little attention towards safeguarding the environment. Emphasis will be laid on the people being affected the most by fossil fuel pollution and climate change.
Biden pointed out the diversity of his panel, describing it as “brilliant, qualified, tested and they are barrier-busting.” “Already there are more people of color in our Cabinet than any Cabinet ever, more women than ever,” the former vice-president had promised the people of America to build a group of leaders that truly reflect the diversity of America.
The nominees and appointees announced by Joe Biden had impactful personal stories that they cited as what will guide them if they get elected.
New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland, if selected, will be the first Native American to lead the Interior Department. In her address, she remembered the difficult times of her life when she struggled with homelessness and relied on food stamps. Referring to Alexander H.H. Stuart, she said hers is a living example of the failure of his horrific ideology. She said, “This moment is profound when we consider the fact that a former secretary of the Interior once proclaimed his goal was to quote, ‘civilize or exterminate’ us.”
North Carolina official Michael Regan is in line to be the first African American man to run the Environmental Protection Agency. He has been the state environmental head since 2017 and has made a name for himself by carrying out clean-ups of industrial toxins and helping the low-income and minority communities severely affected by pollution.
“Since the start of my career, my goals have been the same,” Regan said. “To safeguard our natural resources, to improve the quality of our air and water, to protect our families and our communities, and to help them see the opportunities of a cleaner, healthier world.”
Created more than half a century ago, the Council on Environmental Quality is responsible for environmental reviews of all significant infrastructure projects and recommends advice to the president on major environmental issues. If selected, Biden’s nominee, Brenda Mallory would be the first African American to hold the position.
Two other members of the team who were introduced on Saturday do not need Senate confirmation. They are Gina McCarthy, who will serve as national climate adviser and Ali Zaidi as her deputy. McCarthy also served during the second term of Barack Obama as the EPA administrator from 2013 to 2017.
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