---
title: "US sets new Paris climate target that Trump is expected to ignore"
description: "WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's administration has set a new US target under the Paris climate agreement to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 61%-66% below 2005 levels by 2035, a goal officials called achievable by states even if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on vows to reverse federal policies."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Climate Crisis"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-12-19-us-sets-new-paris-climate-target-that-trump-is-expected-to-ignore/"
published: "2024-12-19T12:25:41"
updated: "2024-12-19T12:26:06"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 383
---

# US sets new Paris climate target that Trump is expected to ignore

> WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's administration has set a new US target under the Paris climate agreement to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 61%-66% below 2005 levels by 2035, a goal officials called achievable by states even if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on vows to reverse federal policies.

By Reuters · Published 19 December 2024, 14:25 SAST · Updated 19 December 2024, 14:26 SAST

## Key points
- As the U.S. gears up to unveil its latest climate action plan, officials are optimistic that investments from the Inflation Reduction Act will help dodge the Trump-shaped climate pothole, but with emissions still on the rise, it seems the road to a greener future may be more of a scenic detour than a straight shot.
- The US is set to submit a new "nationally determined contribution" reflecting the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act and state-level climate policies.
- John Podesta emphasizes the durability of current investments, aiming for an ambitious 2035 climate target despite potential setbacks from the Trump administration.
- An alliance of states has pledged to align with Paris Agreement goals, targeting a 61%-66% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
- Current projections indicate the US is not on track to meet its 2030 emissions reduction goal, with only a 46% reduction expected by 2035 under existing policies.

## Content

The new "nationally determined contribution" reflects ongoing impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act and infrastructure bill on decarbonizing the economy and policies by states that tackle climate change, US officials said.

"Our investments under this administration are durable and will continue to pay dividends for our economy and our climate for years to come, allowing us to set an ambitious and achievable 2035 target," said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to Biden for international climate policy.

"We're confident in America's ability to rally around this new climate goal," he said, adding that while Trump "may put climate action on the backburner, the work to contain climate change is going to continue in the United States."

Under the Paris agreement, nations must deliver new and stronger national climate action plans to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change before a deadline in February next year. The Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) must align with the target to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit).

The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment but the president-elect has said he may once again [withdraw the US from the Paris agreement](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3MD1NS&linkedFromStory=true).

Trump’s transition team is recommending [sweeping changes to cut off support for electric vehicles](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3NE0V6&linkedFromStory=true) and charging stations and impose tariffs on all battery materials globally, Reuters reported this week. Trump campaigned on pledges to achieve US [energy dominance through more fossil fuel production](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3MT0O5&linkedFromStory=true), not renewable energy.

An alliance of two dozen US states and territories including New York, California and New Mexico that have pledged to continue aligning policies with Paris agreement goals set a collective, complementary goal on Thursday to meet the 61%-66% target.

The US is not yet on pace to meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50%-52% by 2030, according to the Rhodium Group, which found other major emitters including the EU, South Korea, South Africa and the UK also are not on target.

Research group Energy Innovation found that under current policies, the US can achieve a 46% reduction by 2035.

So far, only the [UAE](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3L80TL&linkedFromStory=true) and [Brazil](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL8N3MG0K8&linkedFromStory=true) have announced new NDCs ahead of the February deadline.

(Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by David Gregorio)