UK’s Johnson: Biden commitment to halving emissions ‘game-changing’

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday commended President Biden’s commitment to halve emissions by 2030, calling the announcement “game-changing.”

Johnson will be hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference and said he would like to see “similar ambitions” around the world, The Associated Press reports.

Biden announced this week that he had set a new goal of reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 50 to 52 percent by 2030 as part of his overall goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

“I think we can do it,” Johnson said of the goal, according to the AP. “To do it we need scientists in all of our countries to work together to produce the technological solutions that humanity is going to need.”

The British prime minister said developed countries will need to find resources to help other developing nations become more green in the future as well.

“It’s going to mean the richest nations coming together and exceeding the $100 billion commitment they already made in 2009,” Johnson said.

As Reuters reports, Johnson had also earlier this week announced an ambitious plan for Britain to cut carbon emissions by 78 percent by 2035, moving up the country’s timeline by 15 years.

“It’s vital for all of us to show that this is not all about some expensive, politically correct, green act of bunny hugging,” Johnson said. “This is about growth and jobs.”

Biden’s recent announcement has been met with both scorn and praise from members of Congress, with progressive lawmakers calling for a larger reduction in emissions while Republican lawmakers argue such a reduction will make the U.S. less competitive.

Biden’s proposed policies to meet this goal include the electrification of houses, funding for vehicle charging infrastructure and support for the use of carbon capture technology.