Today’s news that President-elect Joe Biden will nominate former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy to serve as the administration's National Climate Advisor is 'good news for people and the planet,' said Mindy Lubber, CEO and President of the sustainability nonprofit organization Ceres.
Gina McCarthy is a member of the Ceres board of directors.
Lubber said:
“With Gina McCarthy as National Climate Advisor, the federal government will be well-positioned to support efforts at home and abroad to tackle the climate crisis while also protecting human health and the environment. Given the imminent threat the climate crisis poses to all of our lives and livelihoods, this appointment can and should include efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support communities that are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis. More than 125 environmental rules and regulations were rolled back by the Trump administration. Many of these rollbacks included standards for tackling the climate crisis that the investors and companies supported and saw as vital to the long-term health of the U.S. economy—such as the Clean Power Plan, rules to curb methane emissions and carbon emissions from coal and gas-fired plants, standards for consumer appliance efficiency and fuel efficiency standards for passenger cars and heavy duty trucks. The majority of the American people—including many private sector leaders—support ambitious climate policy, and look forward to seeing the most significant of these rules restored in short order. As the second largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, it is beyond critical that the U.S. cut emissions nearly in half by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2040. We are hopeful that under the leadership of Gina McCarthy, the U.S. will be able to help right the ship as it begins its journey back to improving its standing in the world as a climate leader.”