At the beginning of his presidency, Biden vowed to lower the US’s carbon emissions to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 by signing an executive order in Dec. 2021. Now, in March 2023, Biden seemingly backtracked on his promise by signing an order that will allow the Willow Project to begin, releasing 9.2 million metric tons of carbon pollution a year. This decision will do worse for our country than it will help, with all its risks. 

The Willow Project, an oil drilling venture that would take place in Alaska, was initially approved in 2020 by the Trump administration. On March 13, the Biden administration caved after various states pressured the project in hopes of creating new jobs and reducing the reliance on other countries’ oil supply. In earlier drafts of the project, the proposal included five oil drilling pads, which have now been reduced to three. 

Many climate activists and indigenous groups have been quick– and rightfully so– to oppose and protest this project. In fact, a viral petition has surfaced on Instagram, garnering nearly 3 million signatures demanding the Willow Project be stopped. 

With drilling this much oil, the US runs the risk of destroying habitats and causing oil spills. Migration patterns will be thrown off. The Willow Project will also account for a third of the fossil fuels from oil plants in the country. Alaska natives who live near the drilling sights will also be impacted by the oil drilling, as it could affect their general health. It’s obvious that this project will do no good for the environment, so why did Biden sign it? 

The answer is political pressure. The Willow Project could produce 180,000 barrels of oil a day and decrease reliance on other countries for oil. 300 long term jobs would be created. Senators from both major political parties seemed to only have looked at the pros. At the end of the day though, it won’t matter the amount of oil we have on this planet; the earth will be irreversibly destroyed.

In order for the Earth to recover from climate change’s worst affects, we would need to cut down carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030. We are on a carbon clock. The Willow Project will send us in the opposite direction. 

The easy choice should’ve been to veto this project the moment it reached the Oval Office. We cannot risk to lose our home. It’s worth the wait for a better energy solution if it means saving the planet. We only have one earth.