The White House may be the most recognized home in America and just like every other home, it takes energy to fuel it — over 850,000 kilowatt-hours per year, according to some estimates.
When he took office in 2017, former President Donald Trump undid over 100 rules and regulations put in place by Barack Obama that were intended to curb pollution. Among them were fuel standards for cars, methane-leak restrictions and wetland protections. Even today, Trump continues to joke about the potential impacts of climate change.
President Joe Biden, conversely, has described climate change as an “existential threat to humanity,” reinstating and expanding upon the Obama-era protections impacting everything from power plants and offshore windmills to drinking water and electric cars. He’s also worked across his administration to promote renewable energy development, employing a whole-of-government approach to the issue.
“We’re making the most significant climate investments ever,” President Biden said in remarks to labor leaders earlier this year. That fact — and the president’s refusal to declare a formal climate emergency — has led to occasional clashes with climate activists who argue President Bidin has not grasped the true stakes of the climate crisis.