A ‘Climate Emergency’ Declaration Would Set Alarming Precedent and Must Be Avoided

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on climate change and clean energy at Brayton Point Power Station in Somerset, Mass., on July 20, 2022. Scott Eisen/Getty Images

Commentary

In a speech given to his most ardent allies and climate activists in Somerset, Massachusetts, on July 20, President Joe Biden asserted: “Climate change is literally an existential threat to our nation and to the world. ... This is an emergency, an emergency, and I will look at it that way. ... As President, I’ll use my executive powers to combat the climate crisis in the absence of congressional actions.”