Executive Order 14008

Executive Order 14008
Name	Executive Order 14008
Signed	January 27, 2021
Signedby	President Joe Biden
Type	Executive order
Purpose	Climate policy, environmental justice, public lands, energy transition

Executive Order 14008 Executive Order 14008 was signed on January 27, 2021, by President Joe Biden and established a comprehensive federal strategy to address climate change, environmental justice, and conservation. The order directed multiple agencies including the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, and the Council on Environmental Quality to align federal activities with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, national security priorities articulated by the United States Department of Defense, and economic recovery goals associated with the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Background and enactment

The order followed the inauguration of Joe Biden and the United States' reentry into the Paris Agreement, building on prior Obama-era initiatives such as the Clean Power Plan and international negotiations at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change conferences including COP21 and COP26. It responded to science synthesized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and recommendations from the National Climate Assessment, echoing policy debates shaped by figures like John Kerry, Gina McCarthy, and Katharine Hayhoe. Legislative and executive precedents included actions during the Barack Obama administration and regulatory frameworks involving the Clean Air Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and court decisions from the Supreme Court of the United States.

Key provisions

The order established a national goal to conserve 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030, a target resonant with international targets discussed at Convention on Biological Diversity meetings and championed by advocates like Michael Bloomberg and organizations such as The Nature Conservancy. It created a focus on environmental justice by directing a Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool with input from the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, reflecting concerns raised by activists associated with Sierra Club, Greenpeace, and civil rights groups including the NAACP. The order called for review of federal oil and gas permitting on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and offshore leases under the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and it directed federal investments to support clean energy technologies involving partners like the Department of Energy national laboratories (e.g., Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory).

Implementation and federal actions

Implementation involved executive agencies such as the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation, and Department of Energy coordinating through the National Climate Task Force and the Council on Environmental Quality. Federal actions included moratoria and reviews of leasing practices overseen by officials nominated from administrations like Joe Biden's team and advised by leaders such as Deb Haaland and Jennifer Granholm. The order spurred initiatives including revisions to National Environmental Policy Act guidance, integration with procurement policies overseen by the General Services Administration, and infrastructure priorities tied to legislative measures debated in the United States Congress and advocated by unions like the AFL–CIO.

Legal and political responses

The order generated litigation and political pushback from states including Texas, Wyoming, and Louisiana and industry groups such as the American Petroleum Institute and Western Energy Alliance, resulting in lawsuits referencing statutory frameworks like the Mineral Leasing Act and administrative law principles adjudicated in federal courts including the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Congressional responses included hearings in committees such as the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, while bipartisan debates invoked precedents from the Administrative Procedure Act and rulings of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Impact on climate policy and emissions

The order reshaped federal climate policy by integrating targets from the Paris Agreement into domestic planning, accelerating federal commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with scenarios modeled by the International Energy Agency and analyses from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. It influenced investments in sectors including renewable electricity tied to projects by companies like Vestas and NextEra Energy and supported research on technologies such as carbon capture promoted by entities like NETL and collaboration with state programs in California, New York (state), and Massachusetts. Emissions projections and mitigation pathways published by agencies and think tanks including the Environmental Defense Fund and World Resources Institute were cited in policy shifts and planning documents.

Criticism and controversies

Critics argued the order exceeded executive authority, raising separation-of-powers concerns cited by scholars associated with institutions like Heritage Foundation and American Enterprise Institute and prompting opposition from state governments and energy producers including Chevron and ExxonMobil. Environmental justice advocates from organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and Indigenous groups including the Native American Rights Fund both praised and critiqued implementation, particularly around consultations with Tribal nations like the Navajo Nation and Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Debates continued over economic impacts in fossil fuel-dependent regions exemplified by communities in Appalachia and the Permian Basin and over the balance between conservation goals and access to public lands.

Category:United States executive orders Category:Climate change policy of the United States