In an interview with The Weather Channel that aired on Tuesday, President Joe Biden told meteorologist Stephanie Abrams that, “practically speaking,” he has declared climate change a national emergency in the United States. Climate alarmists have been pressuring Biden to declare an emergency because they believe such a declaration will free him to act unilaterally on climate issues.
Abrams forced the parsing of words by asking Biden directly if he was prepared to declare a national emergency with regard to climate.
“Mr. President, you called climate change a code red for humanity. The World Health Organization said it would cause an additional quarter of a million deaths a year starting in 2030. Are you prepared to declare a national emergency with respect to climate change?” Abrams asked.
The 46th president attempted to slip past the question by claiming he’d already done so.
“I’ve already done that, the national emergency — we’ve conserved more land, we’ve moved into — we’ve rejoined the Paris Climate Accord, we’ve passed a $368 billion climate control [initiative]. We’re moving. It is the existential threat to humanity,” Biden said.
But none of those actions included an actual emergency declaration, so Abrams pressed, “So you’ve already declared that national emergency?”
“Practically speaking, yes,” Biden eventually answered.
Climate hysterics have been pushing the president to declare climate change a national emergency since before he took office in 2021. Thus far, he has resisted the urge to make such a declaration, although in July, a leaked email from EPA administrator Joe Goffman appeared to show that he was getting ready to officially declare climate change an “emergency.”
Many thought that Biden was ready to declare such an emergency last summer. But, while the president called climate change an “emergency,” he stopped short of an emergency declaration.
What might a “climate emergency” look like with Joe Biden calling the shots?
Biden could attempt to block all U.S. fossil-fuel exports, roiling international markets and probably ensuring skyrocketing fuel prices globally.
He could order an end to all offshore drilling in the United States, again causing skyrocketing fuel prices.
Using greenhouse-gas emissions as an excuse, Biden could order restrictions on automobile and truck use, severely curtailing commerce.
He could divert funding to deploy “clean energy” solutions such as wind and solar power, despite the questionable reliability of those power sources.
In the eyes of climate hysterics, an emergency declaration would essentially give the president the power to completely disregard any input from Congress and become a climate-friendly king issuing any proclamation he wishes.
Climate Depot’s Marc Morano summed up exactly what the climate mafia ultimately hopes for with a climate emergency declaration.
“The Biden administration believes that when democracy fails to achieve its climate goals, it’s time to bypass democracy and Congress and follow the COVID model,” Morano said. “Climate activists have lusted after the COVID lockdowns as the model for climate lockdowns. The plan is to declare a ‘climate emergency,’ toss out elected representatives and follow China’s one-party rule model by implementing energy restrictions through the bureaucracy.”
Although Democrats have been after Biden to declare a climate emergency since he took office, they’re becoming more aggressive as his term winds down.
In May, Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), along with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), introduced their own climate-emergency resolution. In it they demand that the “president wield both existing authorities and emergency powers to unleash every resource available to mitigate and prepare for the climate crisis.”
“While the Inflation Reduction Act made record-breaking climate investments, there is still much more to do to reverse the devastating effects of climate change. A climate emergency declaration will allow the federal government to take action to prevent future initiatives detrimental to our climate, such as the Willow project. With a divided Congress, the President’s willingness to use this executive authority is our last best chance to fight the global climate crisis,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Even Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has urged Biden to declare a climate emergency and take dictatorial powers in the absence of a willing congress.
“I think it might be a good idea for President Biden to call a climate emergency,” Schumer said. “Then he can do many, many things under the emergency powers … that he could do without legislation.” Schumer argued that an emergency declaration would give Biden “more flexibility” in dealing with climate issues.
For now, however, we can be glad that so far Biden has only “practically speaking” declared a climate emergency and has resisted the urge to declare an actual climate emergency. The resulting fracas could result in an actual emergency for the nation.
