Biden Administration Moves to Speed Up Permits for Clean Energy
Biden Administration Moves to Speed Up Permits for Clean Energy The New York Times
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The White House’s Efforts to Prioritize Sustainable Development Goals
Introduction
The White House wants federal agencies to keep climate change in mind as they decide whether to approve major projects.
Overview of the Biden Administration’s Rules
The Biden administration on Tuesday released rules designed to speed up permits for clean energy while requiring federal agencies to more heavily weigh damaging effects on the climate and on low-income communities before approving projects like highways and oil wells.
As part of a deal to raise the country’s debt limit last year, Congress required changes to the National Environmental Policy Act, a 54-year-old bedrock law that requires the government to consider environmental effects and to seek public input before approving any project that necessitates federal permits.
That bipartisan debt ceiling legislation included reforms to the environmental law designed to streamline the approval process for major construction projects, such as oil pipelines, highways and power lines for wind- and solar-generated electricity. The rules released Tuesday, by the White House Council on Environmental Quality, are intended to guide federal agencies in putting the reforms in place.
But they also lay out additional requirements created to prioritize projects with strong environmental benefits, while adding layers of review for projects that could harm the climate or their surrounding communities.
Emphasizing Sustainable Development Goals
“These reforms will deliver smarter decisions, quicker permitting, and projects that are built better and faster,” said Brenda Mallory, chair of the council. “As we accelerate our clean energy future, we are also protecting communities from pollution and environmental harms that can result from poor planning and decision making while making sure we build projects in the right places.”
The move comes as President Biden rushes to push through a slew of major environmental rules ahead of November’s presidential election, including policies to limit climate-warming pollution from cars, trucks, power plants, and oil and gas wells; to protect the habitats of the sage grouse and other endangered species; to ban asbestos; and to remove so-called forever chemicals from tap water.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 15: Life on Land
The article discusses the Biden administration’s rules to speed up permits for clean energy projects and the consideration of damaging effects on the climate and low-income communities. These issues are directly connected to SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
- SDG 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable.
- SDG 11.2: Provide access to safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all.
- SDG 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
- SDG 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems.
Based on the article’s content, the targets mentioned above can be identified as relevant to the issues discussed.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Percentage of renewable energy in the global energy mix
- Investment in sustainable infrastructure and industries
- Accessibility and affordability of sustainable transport systems
- Inclusion of climate change measures in national policies and planning
- Extent of conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems
Although the article does not explicitly mention indicators, the identified targets can be measured using indicators such as the percentage of renewable energy in the global energy mix, investment in sustainable infrastructure and industries, accessibility and affordability of sustainable transport systems, inclusion of climate change measures in national policies and planning, and the extent of conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.
4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy | Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. | Percentage of renewable energy in the global energy mix. |
| SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable. | Investment in sustainable infrastructure and industries. |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Provide access to safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all. | Accessibility and affordability of sustainable transport systems. |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning. | Inclusion of climate change measures in national policies and planning. |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems. | Extent of conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. |
Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.
Fuente: nytimes.com
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