Biden’s “Whole of Government” Approach to Climate Change Has a Gaping Hole

For Immediate Release: October 22, 2021

Washington, D.C. – Responding to the great threat climate change poses to the financial system and to national security, the Biden Administration recently released multiple climate adaptation and resilience plans. These include a list of 20 climate adaptation and resilience plans for agencies across the federal government released by the White House earlier this month.

But while President Biden purports to take a “whole of government” approach to addressing climate change, a crucial piece is missing. None of the White House plans released this month address the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM), a major fossil fuel funder. EXIM provides billions of dollars annually to fossil fuel projects abroad, worsening climate damage and further threatening the financial system and national security.

Kate DeAngelis, International Finance Program Manager for Friends of the Earth, issued this statement:

EXIM pours fuel on the fire by providing billions of dollars to fossil fuel projects abroad. Yet, President Biden’s plans continue to be silent on EXIM, leaving a gaping hole in his ‘whole of government’ approach to climate change. Until President Biden reigns in EXIM’s fossil fuel financing, this rogue federal agency will continue to undercut progress made on climate change by the rest of the agencies across the federal system.

Contacto de comunicaciones: Kerry Skiff, [email protected], 202-222-0723