On Sunday, President Joe Biden became the first United States president to take a trip to the Amazon rainforest while in office.
He used the opportunity to highlight his commitment to mitigating climate change, and the different approach the incoming Donald Trump administration might take.
“It’s no secret that I’m leaving office in January,” Biden said. “I will leave my successor and my country in a strong foundation to build on, if they choose to do so.”
Deforestation, climate change, and the preservation of the environment were all key, being discussed with many fearing the incoming Trump administration could lessen the current U.S. commitment to global climate action. Trump has labeled climate change as a “hoax,” and during his first term pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Biden rejoined the Paris agreement on his first day in office, but President-elect Trump has said he could withdraw the U.S. from the agreement once again.
During his short visit and speech in the rainforest, Biden touted his own administration’s accomplishments for a cleaner environment.
“Some may seek to deny or delay the clean energy revolution that’s underway in America,” Biden said. “But nobody, nobody can reverse it, nobody, not when so many people, regardless of party or politics, are enjoying its benefits... The question now is, which government will stand in the way and which will seize the enormous economic opportunity?”
Biden announced a three-step plan to protect the Amazon during his speech. His new initiative would include a multi-million dollar partnership with Brazil for reforestation, a multi-billion dollar coalition to protect the land, and $50 million more dollars for the already established Amazon fund.
“Trees breathe carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, and yet each minute the world is chopping down the equivalent of 10 soccer fields worth of forest each minute,” Biden said. “That’s why we’ve been the leader internationally in the fight to end and reverse deforestation by 2030.”
After leaving the rainforest, Biden traveled to Rio de Janeiro where he met with world leaders at a G20 conference.