Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden promises as U.S. president his transition to renewable energy from fossil fuels will create millions of new jobs. He says climate change is the "No. 1 issue facing humanity."
Biden made his climate change assertions in a podcast over the weekend.
He reiterated his $2 trillion plan to make the U.S. electricity sector a zero carbon polluter by 2035 and a net-zero emitter by 2050.
"It's the No. 1 issue facing humanity," Biden said of climate change during a broadcast of the Pod Save America podcast released Saturday. "And it's the No. 1 issue for me."
"Climate change is the existential threat to humanity. Unchecked, it is going to actually bake this planet. This is not hyperbole. It's real. And we have a moral obligation."
Biden said his plan will spend significantly on clean energy in the transport, electricity and building industries. These investments will cut fossil fuel emissions and improves infrastructure.
"It's going to create millions of jobs," according to Biden. "We can't be cavalier about the impact it's going to have on how we're going to transition to do all this," Biden said. "But I just think it's a gigantic opportunity, a gigantic opportunity to create really good jobs."
At present, coal and natural gas account for more than 60% of the electricity sector, the U.S. Energy Information Administration says.
The "Biden Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution and Environmental Justice" seeks to ensure "the U.S. achieves a 100% clean energy economy and reaches net-zero emissions no later than 2050."
Biden promised to sign executive orders on Day One of his presidency. He said he would make smart infrastructure investments to rebuild the U.S. and to ensure the country's buildings, water, transportation and energy infrastructure could withstand the effects of climate change.
"Every dollar spent toward rebuilding our roads, bridges, buildings, the electric grid and our water infrastructure will be used to prevent, reduce and withstand a changing climate," Biden said on his website.
"No one is going to build another oil or gas-fired electric plant," Biden said on the podcast. "They're going to build one that is fired by renewable energy. We have to invest billions of dollars in making sure that we're able to transmit over our lines."
