Taking Stock of Joe Biden's Climate Agenda: Governance Approach and Areas for Transatlantic Climate Cooperation

Upon entering office in 2021, Joe Biden declared climate policy to be the focal topic of his presidency. The U.S. subsequently set new ambitious impulses for climate protection and made a spirited return to international climate engagement. It rejoined the Paris Agreement, established new international dialogue formats, and once again participates in multilateral climate protection initiatives. The president demonstrated his willingness to pursue an ample range of policy and regulatory options to bring his country back on track towards achieving the Paris Agreement's goals. This article aims at highlighting how the new U.S. climate governance approach combines climate and industrial policy elements to achieve climate goals while fostering green technologies that benefit 'all of America'. The first part of this article examines some major elements of the Biden Administration's new climate policy approach. The second part provides a glimpse into what the potentials of this approach are for the transatlantic relations. The article is based on the analysis of relevant legal documents as well as academic and gray literature. It aims at providing a qualitative case study and update on recent U.S. climate policy developments.