US climate change envoy: The world needs to step up on renewable energy adoption

Jonathan Pershing, US special envoy for climate change, says renewable energy is taking over as the number one source of new power generation in the United States.

He said the world needs to do more in terms of embracing renewable energy so as to have a better quality of life.

Speaking during a briefing of the US Foreign Press Centers’ virtual reporting tour on the climate crisis, Pershing said sustained investment has brought down the cost of renewable energy.

He added that alternative sources of energy will save consumers some money and reduce environmental damage.

“That’s part of the reason renewables are now taking over as the number-one source of new power generation in the United States. It’s because the price has come down because investments were made a decade ago,” Pershing said.

“We’re also seeing in the transport sector some real alternatives. We’ve always known that things like mass transit really work well, particularly in high, dense city environments, and those are things that we need to do more of and we’re seeing cities around the world build that out.

“But we’re increasingly finding ways to look at alternatives to gasoline vehicles, and where we haven’t got an alternative, to radically improve efficiency. Those are things that can save consumers a great deal of money as well as being opportunities to reduce environmental damages.

“And the damages are not just about climate. They’re about air quality. They’re about toxics. They’re about the life cycle of maintaining systems and leading to better qualities of lives.

“These are dire times and the world needs to step up, and the U.S. is trying to be one of those stepping forward to help manage that.”

Pershing also noted that the administration of US President Joe Biden is committed to doubling the country’s financial investment in climate adaptation.