As President Biden seeks to reverse actions by the Trump administration that jeopardized America's fight against the consequences of climate change, one powerful member of his own party is throwing up roadblocks that could be equally devastating.
The principal opponent of a major piece of Biden's climate agenda is Sen Joe Manchin III, the West Virginia Democrat who is determined to protect coal miners and the coal industry, regardless of its impact on the environment and the industry's contributions to greenhouse gases, a major factor in climate change.
His is a singular focus: Do not allow climate change to cost coal miners and plant workers their jobs, or the profits still produced by that industry.
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Contained in the administration's $3.5 trillion social program initiative, which must be passed via the reconciliation process to avoid a Republican filibuster, are provisions to reduce emissions the coal industry warns would cost thousands of jobs, and which Manchin opposes. A key provision is the Clean Energy Performance Program (CEPP), which would reward utilities that increase clean energy supply by 4 percent each year. Utilities that fail to do so would be penalized.
For the program to have any chance of passing in Congress, it must have the support of every Democrat in the Senate as no Republicans will support it. Thus, without Manchin's vote, it will fail.
The Washington Post reported Sunday, Oct. 17 that "The standoff has jeopardized Biden’s pledge to halve emissions by 2030, inspiring a new flurry of last-minute policy proposals just two weeks before the president and other world leaders are set to convene the most important global climate talks in a quarter century."
So, the administration is considering some sort of compromise to pacify Manchin, whose opposition comes in tandem with a comment to Newsweek on Wednesday, Oct. 13, by United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts that he could not support the $3.5 trillion plan with its current goal of achieving 80 percent carbon-free electricity by 2030 and 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2035.
Roberts said the CEPP plan would result in coal-fired plants being systematically closed as they fail to meet the deadlines contained in the legislation, adding that it is not likely they could meet the bill's requirements by storing emissions using current technology involving carbon capture and sequestration.
"If they said they were going to eliminate fossil fuels in 50 years, it may not be a [deal-breaker], but they're not saying that," Roberts told Newsweek. "The way it looks right this minute is to eliminate fossil fuels by 2030, and that is not something we can support."
The bottom line, said Roberts, is that thousands of coal miners and coal power plant workers could be thrown out of work, devastating Appalachia economically.
Enter Roberts "good friend" Sen. Joe Manchin, who Politico reported October 13 "wants to kill" the CEPP provision.
Newsweek points out that Manchin's grandfather and father were mayors of the coal mining town of Farmington, and his uncle worked and died in the mines. Newsweek reported that Manchin earned most of his $7.6 million net worth through two coal business companies, with his share being held in a blind trust.
So, it is no wonder that Manchin is fighting to protect his coal mining industry constituents -- and his own business interests as well.
Worldwide Impact
But at what cost to the U.S and the rest of the world?
Studies by climate scientists worldwide continue to warn that unprecedented changes in the climate, such as continued sea level rise and global warming, have been set in motion, many of which are irreversible.
"However, strong and sustained reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases would limit climate change. While benefits for air quality would come quickly, it could take 20-30 years to see global temperatures stabilize," says the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group I report, Climate Change 2021: the Physical Science Basis.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization issued a report October 11 linking COVID-19 pandemic recovery to climate change. It says that "countries must set ambitious national climate commitments if they are to sustain a healthy and green recovery" from the pandemic.
The WHO COP26 Special Report on Climate Change and Health, issued in advance of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, spells out the global health community’s prescription for climate action based on research that establishes "the many and inseparable links between climate and health."
“The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a light on the intimate and delicate links between humans, animals and our environment,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The same unsustainable choices that are killing our planet are killing people. WHO calls on all countries to commit to decisive action at COP26 to limit global warming to 1.5°C – not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s in our own interests. WHO’s new report highlights 10 priorities for safeguarding the health of people and the planet that sustains us.”
The WHO report came at the same time as an open letter, signed by over two thirds of the global health workforce -- 300 organizations representing at least 45 million doctors and health professionals worldwide, calling for national leaders and COP26 country delegations to step up climate action.
Obviously, there is much at stake as the battle against climate change unfolds, but in the United States, will the political actions of a single senator jeopardize a major step in this country to help win this battle? It is a consequential challenge for Biden as he seeks Manchin's support for his climate change initiatives.
The big question is this: How much will Biden have to give?
Clearly, there is much at stake.