Climate and Environmental Justice Policies in the First Year of the Biden Administration

Abstract When President Biden took office in January 2021, it was widely expected that he would reverse Trump-era policies and take steps to address climate change, racial justice, and rising inequality. Then-candidate Biden made strong commitments to addressing the climate crisis, including stating that “the Green New Deal is a crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face.” But with the parties evenly split in the Senate, this meant legislating ambitious climate policy would be difficult. This article analyzes the Biden Administration’s climate and environmental justice initiatives in its first year. The Biden administration successfully advanced some environmental policy through legislation but relied primarily on ambitious executive orders and with a particular focus on integrating equity and justice considerations into climate and environmental policy, while encountering challenges from Republican state officials.