Biden's EO 13990 and EO 14008 on Climate

"On January 20 and January 27, 2021, President Biden signed two executive orders (EOs)—EO 13990 and EO 14008—to deploy an “whole-of-government” regulatory agenda to rapidly phase out the production and consumer use of conventional energy. The goal is to halve U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (relative to 2005 levels) and ultimately reach “net zero” emissions by 2050.

With these two orders in the first week of his term, Biden took his hands off the wheel and let regulatory agencies do the rest of the job via obscure rulemakings, guidance, reports, standards, and bureaucratic forms. For example, the Federal Reserve, Department of Defense, and Bureau of Land Management are all currently seeking comments on new climate regulations.

It should concern every American, whether conservative or liberal, climate catastrophist or realist, that these executive orders have made nearly every agency a climate agency, regardless of its statutory mission established by Congress.

 
Most Americans haven’t heard of EO 13990 and EO 14008, and for good reason: They are busy living their lives and being productive. These two executive orders put in motion a whole-of-government regulatory agenda that is only just beginning to affect Americans’ everyday lives. (The Charge, Heritage Foundation, January 26, 2023)