Biden had rolled out a proposal during the primaries — a $1.7 trillion plan that aimed to make the nation carbon neutral by 2050 — that did not impress many young activists who view climate change as an existential crisis.
The youth-led Sunrise Movement gave Biden an “F’ rating, saying his plan lacked detail and paled in comparison to the aggressive action proposed by rivals such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who had embraced the far-reaching Green New Deal.
This spring, with the Democratic nomination locked up, Biden’s campaign faced an imperative challenge: to demonstrate to the liberal wing of the party — including skeptical environmental activists — that he was their guy, that he understood the urgency of the problem and that he would craft a transformative plan to meet the moment.
Over three months, the campaign invited ideas from the young climate crusaders, union officials, environmental justice leaders and former Democratic rivals.
The result was a more aggressive and extensive plan that called for the elimination of carbon pollution from the electric sector by 2035, rejoining the international Paris climate accord and spending $2 trillion over four years to boost renewables and create incentives for more energy-efficient cars, homes and commercial buildings.