Climate Change and New Politics
The United States 2024 election brought unfortunate news for climate activists. The hope for the climate is at its lowest point, and with increasingly devastating climate events taking place across the United States, it is unknown how or if the country will be able to bounce back and prevent further damage to its own climate, ecosystems, and the health of the entire planet.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
In 2022, the Biden government passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) which provided millions of dollars toward clean energy usage with the overall goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the United States. Currently, the US emits around 5.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, and with Trump’s plan to repeal this act, it is estimated that the carbon dioxide equivalents will only decrease to about 5 billion tons by 2050 which is far off of the country’s plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 0 by the year 2050. Hopefully, the strength of the Democratic members in Congress will be enough to prevent the repeal of the act so that the proposed decrease of carbon dioxide emissions will be closer to its target rather than further away.
Fossil Fuel Use
Another promising issue that is being projected by climate activists under the Trump administration, is the increase in oil production across the country. President Trump often endorses the usage of fossil fuels which are very harmful to our environment as they are a non-renewable energy source that is likely to run out in the coming decades without proper preservation methods in the present. He has not only decreased energy prices which makes the usage and production of oil and natural gas even higher than previously, but Trump may also begin to open more federal lands, protected environmental lands, and water reservoirs, for oil and gas drilling which has major consequences on ecosystems and the environment as a whole.
International Agreements
Lastly but certainly not in the least, Trump became well-known by leaders of countries around the world, for his removal of the United States as a country from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in 2016. For some background context, the Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change with specific goals and environmental targets that countries are required to uphold in hopes of improving the health of the planet and preventing climatic catastrophes that are happening more and more each year. Upon Biden’s entrance into office, the US rejoined the Paris Agreement, however, it is not without doubt that Trump may withdraw from this agreement upon his entrance into office in January 2025. The agreement is important in helping countries improve sustainability and environmental-friendliness among their cities and as values among their citizens, and with the United States being such a major player in the state and health of the climate due to their high emissions of carbon dioxide and their ability to share ideas and innovative solutions to climate issues with the rest of the world, it is with optimism that many climate scientists hope Trump will remain a part of the treaty and not withdraw.
All in all, the United States is about to experience many changes upon the entrance of President Trump into office, and the climate is one that may be where the most catastrophes occur. However, on the bright side, there are everyday actions and sustainable practices that you can do despite what is happening at the federal level, to be more environmentally friendly. Every small step means a step in the right direction and even if you think it won’t matter, it will!
Sources
https://e360.yale.edu/features/trump-second-term-climate
https://unfccc.int/most-requested/key-aspects-of-the-paris-agreement
About the Writer: Wynter Sutchy is a third-year undergraduate student at McMaster University studying Biology (Physiology) and is from King City, ON. She is very passionate about the healthcare field and enjoys sharing her volunteering experiences through writing. She plans to pursue a career in medicine in the future and plans to explore the field of healthcare through research and volunteering throughout her undergraduate career. In her free time, you can expect her to be watching her favourite show, Greys Anatomy, teaching children how to swim, or baking some delicious desserts!
