President Biden, speaking from the Amazon rainforest on Sunday, said he would leave President-elect Trump with a “strong” climate change foundation that they can build on “if they choose to do so.”
“It is no secret that I will be stepping down in January. I will leave my successors and my country with a strong foundation to build on if they choose to do so. .” Biden said.
Trump's election victory has some concerned that he will roll back some of the Biden administration's climate change initiatives.
Biden noted that some may try to “negate or delay” the clean energy solutions and “revolution” underway in the United States.
“But no one, no one, can reverse it, no one,” he said. “It's different when so many people are benefiting from it, regardless of party or politics.”
Sunday's visit made Biden the first sitting U.S. president to set foot in the Amazon rainforest. He said he was proud to visit the area.
He signed the United States' proclamation designating November 17th as International Day for Conservation of Nature.
Last year, the Biden administration designated $500 million to the Amazon Fund, making it the most significant international effort to protect the rainforest. So far, the U.S. has provided $50 million to the fund, and Biden said on sunday The United States will provide an additional $50 million.
A senior Biden administration official said it was up to President Trump to continue the effort.
“Maybe he will come here and see the forest and see the damage caused by drought and things like that and change his mind about climate change,” the official said Sunday.
