U.S. General Services Administration
GSA Statement on the President’s Executive Order Catalyzing America’s Clean Energy Economy Through Federal Sustainability
Biden-Harris Administration is Leading by Example Through its Whole-of-government Strategy to Address the Climate Crisis and Drive Cleaner, Healthier, and Resilient Operations
WASHINGTON — Today, President Biden signed an executive order that demonstrates how the United States government will leverage its scale and procurement power to lead by example in tackling the climate crisis. The executive order will reduce emissions across federal operations, invest in American clean energy industries and manufacturing, and create clean, healthy, and resilient communities. The President’s whole-of-government effort will create well-paying jobs, grow industries, and make the country more economically competitive.
“Right now we have a massive opportunity to create millions of clean energy jobs, save taxpayer money through reduced energy costs, and build a more sustainable future for generations of Americans,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “Today’s actions demonstrate how GSA and our federal partners will move forward with a bold vision that meets this moment in history by harnessing the power of American ingenuity and innovation.”
“From Day One, GSA has been excited about revitalizing governmentwide sustainability, and we are now positioned to help agencies reach these ambitious goals,” said GSA Deputy Administrator Katy Kale at the National Climate Task Force meeting. “We are also excited about spurring American innovation and making the most of our investments. That’s why GSA is working to make it easy for our federal customers to implement this plan as they buy electricity, vehicles, and goods and services.”
Through this historic executive order and its accompanying Federal Sustainability Plan, the Biden Administration will leverage the federal government’s procurement power and scale to achieve five ambitious primary goals:
- 100 percent carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) by 2030, at least half of which will be locally supplied clean energy to meet 24/7 demand;
- 100 percent zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) acquisitions by 2035, including 100 percent zero-emission light-duty vehicle acquisitions by 2027;
- Net-zero emissions from federal procurement no later than 2050, including a Buy Clean policy to promote use of construction materials with lower embodied emissions;
- A net-zero emissions building portfolio by 2045, including a 50 percent emissions reduction by 2032; and
- Net-zero emissions from overall federal operations by 2050, including a 65 percent emissions reduction by 2030.
Today’s executive action further reinforces the President’s directives to buy American products and ensure that equity and environmental justice are key considerations in federal operations planning and decision making. The Biden Administration expects this action will catalyze the development of at least 10 gigawatts of new clean electricity production by 2030 and accelerate America’s capacity to supply zero-emission vehicles and electric vehicle batteries, spurring the creation of new jobs in manufacturing, engineering, and skilled-trades.
As a leader in federal sustainability, GSA is committed to the executive order’s effective implementation.
To learn more about GSA’s all-of-government approach to sustainability, climate and clean energy visit: https://www.gsa.gov/sustainability-priorities.
For more information on the President’s Federal Sustainability Plan and executive order, visit: https://www.sustainability.gov.
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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet and overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services across government, in support of the Biden-Harris administration’s priorities. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.