The US President has asked federal officials to take stock of old growth forests within a year and identify threats to these trees.
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Published on 04/22/2022 23:53
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Strong decision for Earth Day. Joe Biden marked Friday April 22 by ordering protection of America’s ancient forests. Featuring densely forested and often spectacularly wild landscapes, his executive order, signed during a visit to Seattle, Washington state, recognizes the importance of America’s ancient forests in the fight against climate change, but also their increasing vulnerability to fire.
Joe Biden asked federal officials to take stock of old-growth forests and identify threats to those trees within a year. “We must act quickly, and with this Earth Day executive order, we are showing that this moment of maximum threat and urgency can also be a moment of great hope,” the President said. The Democrat has championed environmental protection and US leadership in the fight against global warming, but has routinely met with a lack of support from Congress.
US forests absorb an amount of carbon dioxide equivalent to 10% of annual US greenhouse gas emissions, the White House said in a statement. The American President also suggested that Washington become more involved in the fight for the survival of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. “We should pay the Brazilians not to cut down their forest,” he said.