In his first weeks in the Oval Office, President Joe Biden signaled that climate change is a national priority. On Inauguration Day, he rejoined the Paris Agreement and halted the controversial Keystone XL pipeline that would have carried oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast. On Jan. 27, Biden signed an executive order that officially elevates climate as an essential focus of U.S. foreign policy and national security. The order also pauses new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or offshore waters.
Across the Carnegie Mellon University campus, experts study climate, the environment and energy, as well as the policies that shape each of these sectors. What are the most critical issues that need to be addressed in the next four years? Below is a sampling of CMU expert opinions.