Biden’s first steps as president: Action on covid and climateBobbie Johnsonon January 20, 2021 at 10:22 pm

A flurry of executive orders is expected to take place over the next few days from the new US president as he takes residence in the White House. Here are the highlights of those he has signed so far.

The “100 day mask challenge”

Biden’s first order is part recommendation, part requirement: it requires people to wear masks on all federal property, and recommend that governors and local elected officials follow suit. The wording also attempts to turn masking, a vital public health recommendation that can help to stop the spread of covid-19, into a public challenge, calling for all Americans to stick to wearing masks for the next 100 days. —Abby Ohlheiser

Rejoining the Paris climate accords

Biden wasted no time setting a new tone on climate change, an issue he has pledged to make a centerpiece of his presidency. As promised throughout the campaign and after, Biden began the process of bringing the nation back into the Paris climate agreement on his first day in office.

Rejoining the Paris agreement, which will officially take a few more weeks, doesn’t create any new binding climate policies in itself. But it will require the US to submit revamped emissions targets before the UN climate conference later this year, as well as a plan for deep reductions by mid-century. The grand hope is that the world’s second largest emitter returning the international fold will get more momentum behind the global goal of preventing 2 ̊C of warming. After four years under Trump, however, the US will need to repair extensive damage to its international relationships and achieve real progress on its domestic climate policies before it will be seen as a leader rather than laggard on the issue. —James Temple

Canceling Keystone

As expected, Biden also canceled permits for the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline, which would transport crude oil from Canada to Illinois.

Federal covid response

Following up on the recent announcement of a proposed $1.9 trillion covid relief and action plan, the president signed an order that will shift around some key positions within the federal government that will be crucial to the new administration’s pandemic response. Biden will be reinstating the Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense, which Obama created after the Ebola epidemic. Under Trump, the directorate’s staff—along with its work and general mission—were largely absorbed by other offices in the National Security Council. Biden has in the past, somewhat misleadingly implied that the office was completely eliminated. —Abby Ohlheiser

Rejoining the WHO

In the middle of a global pandemic, Trump began the process of formally withdrawing the US from the World Health Organization. Biden’s first-day order would halt that process. —Abby Ohlheiser

Changes to immigration rules

Biden plans to undo many of President Trump’s controversial immigration policies through a combination of executive orders and proposed legislation. Among the orders today, he has announced an end to the Muslim ban, halting construction of the US-Mexico border wall; preserving the Deferred Action for Childhood (DACA) Arrivals program; and revoking Trump’s order to exclude non-citizens from the census count. Other important changes that will go to Congress include new pathways to citizenship for 11 million immigrants without permanent legal status, and modernizing the immigration court system and clear current backlogs.—Eileen Guo

Extending a block on evictions

As we reported in December, thousands of eviction hearings are taking place by videoconference and phone call—a technological disparity that is often leading to people being forced out of their homes unfairly. Without further action, the CDC’s eviction moratorium, which was set to expire on January 31, tens of millions were at risk of losing their homes in the middle of a pandemic. An executive order from Biden extends the block through the end of March—at least for those who can prove they are unable to pay. —Eileen Guo

This story will be updated with more actions and executive orders as they are announced.

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