‘No way to turn back tide’ on cleaner energy, Biden tells Canada’s leaders

The world – including the United States – is heading inexorably in the direction of reducing greenhouse gases, even if it isn’t a priority for president-elect Donald Trump, says Vice-President Joe Biden.

“Reality is intruding,” Biden said Friday in Ottawa as he sat around a table with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, provincial and territorial premiers and indigenous leaders gathered for a first ministers meeting on climate change.

“Whatever uncertainty exists around the near-term policy choices of the next president, I am absolutely confident the United States will continue making progress in its path to a low-carbon future.”

That’s because many of the trends towards more clean energy and fewer carbon emissions have taken hold and are no longer dependent on government initiatives, Biden said.

“They’re market-driven. They’re common sense.”

Biden also said he was “excited” to be meeting with the provincial and territorial premiers on this issue, because in the U.S., it has sometimes been the states that have led the way.

“Sometimes the federal (government) and then sometimes the states take turns being the innovators,” Biden said.

That’s another reason why, no matter what the next U.S. government decides to do, there will continue to be voices – in cities, states, civil society and other communities across the country – pushing for, and taking, stronger action on climate change, he argued.

“Regardless of whether the next administration is as aggressive as we have been, there’s no way to turn back – I’m not suggesting they intend to – but there’s no way to turn back this tide that has begun to roll,” he said.

“The question is time. Time is of the essence. There are plenty of reasons to be hopeful, but no reason to be anything other than feeling an overwhelming sense of urgency.”

It matters a lot how quickly things happen, he added.

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Earlier in the day, Biden – who was in Ottawa on Thursday night for a state dinner with Trudeau and the other leaders – arrived on Parliament Hill for a bilateral meeting with the prime minister.

With downtown Ottawa traffic snarled for security purposes, Biden’s motorcade pulled up to the front door of the Centre Block, where Trudeau braved frigid temperatures to greet him.

Biden shook hands with dignitaries before signing a guest book and walking down the Hall of Honour with the prime minister.

Once seated, they exchanged pleasantries – both leaders singing the praises of each other’s countries and the Canada-U.S. relationship.

“It’s a continuation of what is a long and deep friendship between our two countries,” Trudeau said.

“We have incredibly strong economic, commercial, person-to-person (and)cultural ties that continue and it’s just always great to be able to welcome you here.”

Biden acknowledged in kind the unique nature of the relationship.

“Americans kind of view it as family – not just allies, not just friends, not just our largest trading partner, but the values are the same,” he said.

“You can’t go anywhere in America and find anyone who will say anything other than positive things about the relationship with Canada.”