“The NYT writes, Biden admin aides are racing to award hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and finalize environmental regulations in an effort to lock in Biden’s climate agenda…”

Our Take, with Doug Sheridan

The NYT writes, Biden admin aides are racing to award hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and finalize environmental regulations in an effort to lock in Biden’s climate agenda before Trump enters the White House, said John Podesta, the president’s senior adviser on clean energy.

Podesta, who also serves as Biden’s top climate diplomat, departs Sunday for United Nations-led climate negotiations in Baku, Azerbaijan. He said he will try to reassure America’s allies that the clean energy transition is unstoppable and that US emissions are poised to drop even with a president who denies the science of climate change.

”There’s no question that having someone leading the federal government who thinks climate change is a hoax is an impediment to accelerating action,” Podesta said. But because of investments already made, US emissions are on a downward trajectory and the private sector is not backing away from renewable power, he said.

Trump has said he wants to erase virtually all of Biden’s climate policies, which include rules intended to slash carbon emissions from power plants, automobiles and oil wells. He intends to make it easier to drill on public lands and in waters where Mr. Biden put up roadblocks. And he has called for repeal of Mr. Biden’s signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act.

“I don’t want to sugarcoat the conditions we face now, but I do know for certain the environmental movement was built for this moment, and we’re going to do everything in our power to protect the environment and stand up for civil rights and the democracy,” said Manish Bapna, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an environmental group.

“This is not the end of our fight for a cleaner, safer planet,” Podesta said. “The fight is bigger than one election or political cycle.”

Our Take 1: It's impossible not to notice how liberal politicians and political operatives equate fighting climate change with how much taxpayer money is being given away by the Biden admin. Is it any wonder voters are turning against the so-called energy transition? They've figured out it's not about fixing the climate at all. Rather, it's about enriching favored groups with unending public funds.

Our Take 2: In the wake of last week's elections, progressives and climate activists have been very clear that the fight against climate change in their book will "never end." One can interpret this as there being no limit to the amount of public funds the climate crowd intends to throw at the slow-moving threat of climate change. It's a forever instrument of progressive activism that... left unchecked... will effectively bankrupt mankind.