Biden Agencies Pressed to Act on Federal Contractor Climate Disclosure

"Twenty-six members of Congress urge agencies to finalize rules that would leverage the market power of the world's largest purchaser to cut greenhouse gas emissions."

"It was a key pledge in President Joe Biden’s effort to show renewed international leadership on climate change: The U.S. government, the largest purchaser of goods and services in the world, would require its contractors and suppliers to disclose their carbon emissions and climate risks.

The biggest contractors would need to set carbon reduction targets for themselves aligned with the Paris Agreement. With the U.S. making $700 billion in purchasing decisions annually, the rules would set obligations for thousands of businesses, particularly those in the massive defense and aerospace industries.

But 16 months after Biden made this announcement at the 2022 climate talks in Egypt, and with an election fast approaching that could upend the plan, a group of Congressional Democrats is pressing the administration to finalize the regulations."

Marianne Lavelle reports for Inside Climate News April 8, 2024.

Source: Inside Climate News, 04/09/2024