Biden raises hopes of addressing climate crisis as Cop26 nears

President has vowed to rejoin Paris agreement, cut fossil fuel reliance, and invest in low-carbon growth

Joe Biden's pledges of strong action on the climate crisis have buoyed international hopes that 2021 can be a breakthrough year, resetting the world on a greener path to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate experts cheered the inauguration of the new US president, who has vowed to rejoin the Paris agreement, rethink US reliance on fossil fuels, and devote hundreds of billions of dollars in stimulus spending to low-carbon economic growth.