United States President Joe Biden on Monday spoke in front of world leaders during the G20 summit and apologized for the decision of the previous American administration led by former U.S. President Donald Trump to exit the Paris climate agreement.
The Democrat said that Trump's decision and actions subsequently led to the United States being placed behind its climate change goals. During his speech, Biden said that he was apologizing on behalf of the previous administration. He said that it put the country "behind the eight ball a little bit."
Biden Apologizes Trump
Previously, Biden announced that the United States would once again join the Paris accords, a statement he made a few hours after being sworn into office in January. The Democratic president said in his address that about four or five years ago, many Americans were still unsure about the reality of the threat of climate change and whether it was real or not.
"Well, they have, as they say in southern parts of my state, 'seen the lord.' They've seen what's happened back home. The incredible changes that are taking place. And they're now finally, seeing the sense of urgency that you all are," Biden said during his speech, CNN reported.
Previously, Biden issued a plea and a warning to international leaders to take immediate and forceful action against climate change and its effects. The call to action from the U.S. president came as America itself was struggling to meet climate ambitions.
The Democratic president said that every day that officials delay fighting against climate change, "the cost of inaction increases." Biden's remarks on Monday in Glasgow, Scotland during the COP26. This comes as many believe the event marks a crucial moment for world nations to discuss and conduct immediate remedies to avoid potentially devastating effects of climate change that could threaten future generations, Axios reported.
Biden said that the United States was committed to meeting its climate change goals, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The Democratic president also urged other countries to do their part in preventing the catastrophic effects of global warming.
Rising Threat of Climate Change
During his appearance at the global event, the United States president attempted to persuade other world leaders of his country's commitment to tackling climate change. Biden is urging other nations to take drastic actions, warning that the next decade marked a crucial moment in the fight against the issue.
In his Monday speech, Biden said there was no more time left to be complacent or argue amongst each other when making decisions against climate change. He said that this moment was the challenge of collective lifetimes. The U.S. president considered the issue an "existential threat to human existence."
Biden also welcomed questions during his presence on the world stage amid the possibility of changing administrations within the American government every four years. On the other hand, former President Trump repeatedly downplayed the threat of climate change during his term as he recently suggested he could run for president again in 2024 but has not announced or confirmed the rumors, The Hill reported.
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