Biden Sets a Bold Goal for Emissions Reductions

Meeting the goal of halving emissions by 2030 will require bipartisan cooperation, and would benefit both birds and people.
Baltimore Oriole. Mark Boyd/Audubon Photography Awards

The following can be attributed to Sarah Greenberger, senior vice president of conservation policy at the National Audubon Society in response to President Biden’s pledge to cut emissions by 50 percent by 2030:

“Our science shows that we are at a crisis point when it comes to protecting both people and wildlife from the worst effects of climate change, and we need bold action to meet the moment. The president’s pledge sets a worthy bar for the global community to meet, and we can achieve this by putting politics aside and joining our collective efforts to ensure our common survival. Birds are telling us that we don’t have any time to lose, and we look forward to working with the administration, decision makers on both sides of the aisle, and the global community to make this promise a reality.”

A 2019 Audubon report found that two-thirds of North American bird species are vulnerable to extinction if the rate of global temperature rise is allowed to continue at its current pace. Cutting emissions is key to holding global climate steady, protecting birds and the places they need to survive.