Reconciling with the Paris Agreement is an important step by the Biden government in reversing the climate policies of the past four years, during which Trump has reversed many of the country’s basic environmental policies and regulations.
“Just as important as our accession to the agreement in 2016 was – and as important as we rejoin today – what we do in the coming weeks, months and years is even more important,” Blinken added in a statement.
Under the agreement, countries are expected to increase their obligations to limit greenhouse gas emissions every five years. The objectives of the global treaty are to limit global warming to well below 2 ° C and aim to limit it to 1.5 ° C.
Under the Obama administration, the US has promised to reduce carbon emissions by 26% -28% below 2005 levels by 2025.
2020 was supposed to be the next milestone for countries to increase their promises for greenhouse gas emissions, but the Covid-19 pandemic postponed the climate negotiations in Glasgow, Scotland until November.
Biden plans to host a climate summit of world leaders on Earth Day, April 22, where he will expand the US’s goal of reducing carbon emissions by 2030 – known as the nationally determined contribution under the Paris Agreement.
This story has been updated.
CNN’s Michael Callahan contributed to this report.