Humanity is said to have just 10 years left to start seriously tackling the climate crisis before passing the 'point of no return' with multiple-degree temperature increases, rising sea levels and increasingly disastrous wildfires, hurricanes, floods and droughts predicted.
Scientists say the US is far off the path of what is necessary for the nation and the world to avoid catastrophic global heating, particularly as in the past four years Donald Trump has shredded environmental protections for American lands, animals and people.
As part of our climate countdown series, the Guardian's Emily Holden looks at the issue and examines why the Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, calls his rival a 'climate arsonist'.