Project 2025, a blueprint for Trump’s presidency, calls for a “whole-of-government unwinding” of American climate policy. It calls to withdraw from the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change, which the US has been party to since 1992, and to get rid of more than a dozen government agencies that study climate change [1, 2].
Considering that the globe experienced its hottest day in recorded history last June, and humanitarian issues such as heatwaves and wildfires are on the rise, this plan is a bit concerning [1, 3]. Without strong climate policy and leadership, the US, as the world’s largest per-capita emitter, may significantly hinder climate progress [1].
But what exactly does the November election mean for our climate policy?
During Trump’s first presidency, he repeatedly called climate change a “hoax”, titling it a “great scam”. Prior to the election, he also pledged to expand fossil fuel production and reduce spending on clean energy [4]. Moreover, he says he wants to destroy support for electric vehicles and repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, which provided billions of dollars for climate investment [5].
For those who care about climate progress, the future seems a bit bleak.
Research in the development of renewable energies is viewed as crucial to climate change mitigation, with cutting down on fossil fuels like oil and gas key to keeping the world away from climate tipping points [6].
Currently, the world is at least 1.1 C warmer than the pre-industrial era. With the world on track to 2-3 degrees of warming, we need action now, not later. Every fraction of a degree counts––the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that warming of 2 degrees would cost 420 million more lives than 1.5 degrees of warming. It would also prevent about 700,000 square miles of permafrost from thawing, and reduce crop failures [7].
I sit here a little (no, very) frustrated––this is our future, and yet it seems so close to being thrown away. We have gotten to a point where individual actions are not enough: does it really matter if I recycle and save energy when our government is working to increase our use of fossil fuels? Is this really what it has come to? 67% of Gen Z adults say that Climate Change should be a top priority, alongside 71% of millennials, and yet our government refuses to see that [8].
Is there any hope?
Well on the bright side, we do have those 67% of Gen-Z, and 71% of millennials––all of whom can work together to pressure the government to take action [8]. Furthermore, environmentalists across the country remain defiant, gathering together to lobby and protest. This can help pass legislation at the state level––in fact, in Washington, voters crushed an initiative to dismantle the state’s climate law [5].
And perhaps more importantly, parts of the economy are behind green energy. In the two years since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden-Harris administration has helped create over 330,000 new clean energy jobs. Millions of Americans have also benefited from IRA tax credits that pay for energy upgrades. Alongside these subsidies, billions have been invested into the clean energy revolution. This all means that passing anti-climate legislation in Congress is going to be a lot easier said than done [5].
So at the end of the day, there is hope. We still have a chance at solving climate change.
And yet looking back, I’m still scared. Many Republicans in Congress have been attacking climate action for years, problematizing solutions and deprioritizing actions [9]. Looking forward, there’s a sense of despair and uncertainty––no one really knows what will happen, and I don’t know if I want to know.
In the end, climate change progress is probably going to come down to us. We will have to be the change we want to see, however unfortunate that is. But we must act now––otherwise, it may be too late.
1] https://www.americanprogress.org/article/project-2025-would-jeopardize-global-climate-action/
2] https://earthjustice.org/article/project-2025-means-undoing-climate-solutions-well-fight-back
3] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health
4] https://www.dw.com/en/what-does-donald-trumps-victory-mean-for-the-climate/a-70729209
5] https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/trump-election-six-climate-and-environment-takeaways
6] https://climate.mit.edu/explainers/renewable-energy.
7] https://www.nrdc.org/stories/15-degrees-global-warming-are-we-there-yet