The 2016 Second Biennial Report of the United States of America presents the actions we are undertaking to deliver on our climate goals and to support our global partners. It begins with an overview of the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2013 (U.S.EPA/OAP 2015) and recent trends in U.S. emissions. It then details the components of The President’s Climate Action Plan (EOP 2013), shows how we are on track to reach our 2020 emission reduction target, and demonstrates how we are setting up the foundation to reach our ambitious 2025 target. It then describes how the United States is supporting the global effort through financial, technological, and capacity-building support to developing countries.

Mid Century Strategy

With the adoption of the Paris Agreement in December 2015, the world took a decisive step toward avoiding the most dangerous impacts of climate change. The Paris Agreement aims to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Consistent with this objective, Parties aim to balance greenhouse gas emissions sources and sinks in the second half of this century or, in effect, achieve net-zero global greenhouse gas emissions. Countries have submitted near-term targets to address greenhouse gas emissions, called "nationally determined contributions" or NDCs, and will review and extend these targets every five years. The Paris Agreement further invited countries to develop by 2020 "mid-century, long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies." This document answers that call for the United States, laying out a strategy to deeply decarbonize the U.S. economy by 2050.