Earth Day: President Biden convened 40 Heads of State and governments, including the world’s 17 largest economies, greenhouse gas emitters for a global Leaders Summit on Climate on 22-23 April 2021. “This is the decade we must make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis”- President Biden’s plea on Earth Day.

While the US aims to halve its emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels – nearly doubling the last pledge, a number of countries made similar pledges. For example, Japan raised its target to cut emissions from 26% to 46% from 2013 levels by 2030, while Canada raised its previous target of a 30% reduction below 2005 levels by 2030 to a range of 40%-45%.

Biden also intends to double its annual public climate finance to developing countries by 2024, compared with spending under Obama in 2013-2016.