Gov. Polis Statement on Biden Administration’s Climate Actions

DENVER - Today, Governor Jared Polis released a statement on executive action President Joe Biden will take to advance a number of climate initiatives, including proposed investments in clean energy and cleaner cars, policies supporting the adoption of clean energy, and a one-year leasing pause while the Department of Interior undertakes a full review of the nation’s energy development program on public lands and waters. Today’s announcement will also include the Biden administration’s support for an ambitious conservation goal by 2030, given increasing scientific analysis that achieving this goal is necessary to head off major impacts to wildlife and people in the face of climate change. 

“National progress on moving to cleaner, less expensive cars and cleaner energy is good for America and good for Colorado. We will also work closely with the Biden administration as they begin a program-wide review of energy development policy on public lands to ensure that it works for Colorado. And as long as the review is completed expeditiously we don’t expect an economic impact in the short-term with current market factors and the many existing unused leases and permits,” said Governor Jared Polis. “As we tackle the impacts of climate change and air pollution locally and nationally - now that we have a President that believes in science - Colorado's strong environmental laws, my administration’s Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap, and the state’s longstanding leadership in the clean energy economy and the conservation of our vast great outdoors can serve as valuable examples to the new federal administration as they tackle these critical issues.”

The Polis administration has shown leadership in consensus-driven conservation efforts when it comes to wildlife corridors, support for the CORE Act, creating the Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative, and pushing to invalidate the Uncompahgre Resource Management Plan among other efforts to ensure Colorado’s treasured and vast outdoors and the benefits to its citizens remain intact for future generations. The Administration has also championed bold action on climate, clean energy jobs, and an equitable transition to a clean energy economy with recent releases of both the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap and the Just Transition Action Plan. The Polis administration will also be releasing a public comment draft of its Climate Equity Framework in the coming month.