Biden’s $2tn infrastructure plan aims to ‘finally address climate crisis as a nation'

President says new plan will allow ‘transformational progress’ by bolstering investments in clean energy and electric vehicles

Joe Biden has said his new infrastructure plan will allow “transformational progress in our ability to tackle climate change” by bolstering investments in clean energy, electric vehicles and building homes resilient to threats posed by the climate crisis.

The $2tn plan will make “crumbling” American infrastructure more robust to extreme weather events, the US president said in a speech on Wednesday, while providing funds to “build a modern, resilient and fully clean grid”.

Related: Biden promises 'historic' $2tn spending in infrastructure – but Capitol Hill fight awaits