On Friday, President Biden is set to sign an executive order establishing the Office of Environmental Justice within the White House ‘Council on Environmental Quality,’ according to a White House announcement.
The Council on Environmental Quality even has its own Twitter account, currently maintaining only 6,157 followers.
“Our mission is to coordinate federal efforts to improve, preserve, and protect America’s public health and environment,” the office’s Twitter description reads.
The Biden admin’s latest pro-environment move comes despite two recent surveys indicating that climate change skepticism is on the rise worldwide, even amid the constant mainstream promotion of the idea of man-made global warming, as pointed out by British commentator Toby Young’s website, The Daily Sceptic.
One of these surveys, conducted by a University of Chicago group, asked Americans whether they believed humans were responsible for most or all of climate change. Five years ago, 60% of respondents believed this, but the number has now dropped to 49%.
Another recent IPSOS poll, covering two-thirds of the global population, found that almost 40% of people believe climate change is primarily caused by natural factors.
The order aims to strengthen the Biden administration’s dedication to so-called “environmental justice” for all Americans and even purports that “racism” contributes to environmental “injustices.”
“The Executive Order recognizes this reality and that racism is a fundamental driver of environmental injustice,” the announcement reads. “It directs agencies to actively facilitate meaningful public participation and just treatment of all people in agency decision-making.”
Moreover, the White House released a fact sheet detailing how the executive order will “expand interagency coordination and launch a new Office of Environmental Justice” led by a federal chief environmental justice officer who has not yet been appointed.
This office will coordinate the implementation of environmental justice policy throughout the federal government.
In their statement, the White House emphasized the perceived importance of this action: “For far too long, communities across our country have faced persistent environmental injustice through toxic pollution, underinvestment in infrastructure and critical services, and other disproportionate environmental harms often due to a legacy of racial discrimination including redlining. These communities with environmental justice concerns face even greater burdens due to climate change.”
The statement further asserts that the President’s goal is to guarantee equal protection for all individuals, “regardless of race, background, income, ability, Tribal affiliation, or zip code,” under the nation’s environmental and civil rights laws.
Meanwhile, Biden is reportedly anticipated to make his reelection announcement as soon as Tuesday, even though a recent Harvard-Harris poll shows 56% of registered voters say they “have doubts” about Bidens “fitness” to serve.
Similarly, a USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll has found that “only 67% of Biden’s 2020 supporters said they would support him for the Democratic nomination over his current challengers.”
Upon returning to the U.S. after spending a week in Ireland, the president informed reporters that he intends to announce his plans for the 2024 election “in the near future,” reiterating that his intention to seek reelection has always been part of his strategy.
