Trump's Climate Rollbacks and Renewed Fossil Fuel Push

[Social Media]

 

Donald Trump's election victory has reintroduced a climate change skeptic into the White House, raising serious concerns about the future of U.S. climate policy and the global push to mitigate human-driven climate change. Trump’s win positions him to reverse many of the green policies established by his predecessor, potentially undermining worldwide efforts to control rising temperatures.

 

Throughout his campaign, Trump revived his notorious "drill, baby, drill" slogan, framing U.S. oil and gas reserves as valuable “liquid gold.” In his victory speech, he emphasized the wealth beneath American soil, signaling his intent to expand fossil fuel production. According to experts, a second Trump term could significantly hinder the United States’ transition to green energy, casting doubt on whether key climate targets can be reached.

 

The effects of his election victory could be felt almost immediately, even before his inauguration in January. U.S. negotiators, who play an influential role in international climate agreements, may face reduced authority and leverage at the upcoming COP29 climate summit, set to begin on November 11 in Azerbaijan. With a more hesitant U.S. stance on climate diplomacy, global efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels could falter, creating an opening for other major emitters, like China and India, to decelerate their own climate commitments.

 

"With Trump's win, we now face, at best, a repeat of his last term's climate inaction—a four-year pause we simply can't afford in this critical decade," stated Johan Rockstrom, a climate scientist and director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. "With a climate skeptic back in the White House, the pressure on the world, and especially on EU leadership, to act will intensify enormously."

 

Trump’s first term set a precedent, as he withdrew the United States from the landmark Paris Agreement, a decision President Joe Biden later reversed. Trump's renewed vow to withdraw again from the agreement means the world’s second-largest emitter could back out of the global accord once more, undoing progress the Biden administration had worked to restore. Officially, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement requires a year-long process, which would keep the U.S. technically in the accord until 2026—though likely only in name rather than active participation.

 

Laurence Tubiana, one of the architects of the Paris Agreement, commented on the impact of Trump’s return to the White House, calling it a challenge not only for the United States but for the entire global community. “It’s worse than 2016. And not only in the United States,” Tubiana told AFP. “It will take an unprecedented mobilization so that the shock of the American decision does not impact other countries that have become reluctant to accelerate action.”

 

The U.S., under the Paris Agreement, had pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030, using 2005 levels as a baseline. As of 2023, emissions had already dropped by 18 percent, according to a report from the Rhodium Group. However, an analysis from Carbon Brief suggests that if Trump follows through on his plans, his return to office could add an estimated four billion metric tons of CO₂-equivalent emissions by 2030. This amount would be comparable to the combined annual emissions of the European Union and Japan, representing a setback that could prove challenging for the global community to offset. 

 

As the world continues to grapple with the realities of climate change, the consequences of a shift in U.S. policy away from emissions reduction and climate diplomacy are poised to affect both current and future generations. For many environmental advocates and climate scientists, Trump's re-election represents a critical moment that could either renew or hinder the global resolve to fight climate change at this pivotal time.

 

Based on a report by AP 2024-11-08

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, Social Media said:

Trump’s first term set a precedent, as he withdrew the United States from the landmark Paris Agreement, a decision President Joe Biden later reversed. Trump's renewed vow to withdraw again from the agreement means the world’s second-largest emitter could back out of the global accord once more, undoing progress the Biden administration had worked to restore. Officially, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement requires a year-long process, which would keep the U.S. technically in the accord until 2026—though likely only in name rather than active participation.

Good news. It's time to kick the MMCC IMO BS into touch. Too much money has been wasted on conventions in exotic parts of the world where far too many people fly to emit a whole lot of hot air.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, Social Media said:

For many environmental advocates and climate scientists, Trump's re-election represents a critical moment that could either renew or hinder the global resolve to fight climate change at this pivotal time.

the global resolve to fight climate change at this pivotal time.

 

That sentence is why I think it's all BS. IMO we can't "fight" climate change. Humans will never win over nature.

 

It's time to finally face up to reality, ditch the BS and start working to live WITH nature, not fight it. Learn to accommodate climate change, and stop pretending that EVs and windmills are some magic solution. Cancelling all future conventions where people attend in person would be a good start. By all means have a convention by VDO conference.