President Obama pledged Tuesday to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by up to 28 percent by 2025, submitting the U.S. target for an international climate treaty.
“The United States’ target is ambitious and achievable, and we have the tools we need to reach it,” wrote Obama senior adviser Brian Deese in a blog post on Medium. “The goal will roughly double the pace at which we’re reducing carbon pollution through cost-effective measures using laws already on the books.”
In November, Obama struck a wide-reaching agreement with China to limit greenhouse gas emissions, prompting outcry from Republicans who said the president was overstepping his authority. Many scientists blame greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide for driving manmade climate change.
The treaty is expected to be finalized in December. Most nations, however, have not offered an outline of how much they will cut emissions.
The White House is framing the Obama action as a centerpiece of his legacy.
“That’s a big deal, and is yet another sign that we have the tools we need to tackle climate change head-on,” Deese wrote. “The [International Energy Agency] attributed last year’s flat-lining of carbon pollution from the energy sector to new policies in places like China, the EU and the United States — as we deploy more clean energy, use less dirty energy and use less energy overall, while still growing the economy and creating jobs.”
