US Transfer of Power to the Biden-Harris “Climate Administration” - With “Whole of Government” Approach

On January 20, 2021, the transfer of power in the Executive Branch went forward, according to the Constitution of the United States of America, and President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris assumed the offices of the highest elected officials in the nation.

This will be the “climate administration,” President Biden has declared. And within a week a comprehensive “whole of government” approach was announced, with sweeping changes that present both risk and opportunity to the corporate community and the capital markets.

The actions started with President Biden “on day one” keeping the campaign promise to rejoin the Paris Agreement and ending the Keystone Pipeline project in the American West. The Biden-Harris Administration is now in the beginning phase of the restoration of 100-plus environmental-focused rules and regulations of his predecessor in the White House.

“Whole of government” means that the many Cabinet offices and other agencies will incorporate rigorous approaches to climate change challenges. This means the many arms of the departments of State, Defense, Treasury, Justice, Commerce, Education, Health & Human Services, and Interior will be directing policies, programs, funding and more in new or expanded efforts.

We can expect as well to see new policy directions for the Securities & Exchange Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other regulatory agencies. All of this will have short- and long-term impacts on the business sector.

We are still new in the game-changing -- and this week we bring you the initial news about all of this in Highlights. Stay Tuned to G&A Institute communications -- there is more to come!

This is just the introduction of G&A's Sustainability Highlights newsletter this week. Click here to view the full issue.