Biden seeks to revive climate agenda as heat waves slam US, Europe
President Joe Biden, thwarted by lawmakers and the Supreme Court, sought to revive his ambitions to tackle climate change as heat waves batter the United States and Europe.
Rocketing summer temperatures have highlighted the growing threat, with 100 million people in the United States currently under excessive heat alerts and devastatingly hot conditions causing misery across Europe.
"Climate change... is literally, not figuratively, a clear and present danger," Biden said, announcing executive actions including $2.3 billion in investments to help build US infrastructure to withstand climate disasters.
"The health of our citizens and our communities is literally at stake... Our national security is at stake as well... And our economy is at risk. So we have to act."
Biden, delivering a speech at a former coal-fired electricity plant in Massachusetts, said his administration would do whatever necessary, with or without lawmakers on board.
"Congress is not acting as it should... This is an emergency and I will look at it that way. As president, I'll use my executive powers to combat the climate crisis," he said.
Biden began his term last year promising to fulfil campaign pledges to tackle the global climate crisis, but his agenda has faced blow after blow.
