Executive Orders with a Downside
Trump has started his presidency with an ambitious set of executive orders within his first week. He anticipates putting around 100 into play over his first couple weeks, nearly twenty on his first day alone. Such orders include deportations, border security, gender policies, and vaccine mandates. On the environmental hand, Trump has stated his intention to remove the United States from global climate agreements, increase the use of fossil fuels, cut funds for environmental protection efforts, and change the leadership of those who would make further decisions in this area.
These executive orders and plans have made many people afraid of what will come next, environmentalists are among those who worry. Trump has openly had an anti-science standpoint and a lot of this is seen through his lack of acknowledgment of the climate crisis. Scientists expect a lot of attacks on their climate change research in upcoming years. His executive orders are already encompassing his dismissal of the importance for environmental action.
Exiting The Paris Agreement
One of the orders, as mentioned above, was the United States exiting the Paris Agreement. Trump exited the agreement during his first term and Biden re-entered, so this comes as no surprise. The Paris Agreement is a plan to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius in order to control global warming. He wanted to separate the United States from this because he felt it wasted the American taxpayer’s dollar. Saving the country’s money is excellent but what is the true cost of this? The unfortunate cost of this is not a dollar amount.
Plans for Fossil Fuels
Trump plans to prioritize fossil fuel use and its projects. He is rolling back on many of Biden’s protective, environmental measures and rather replacing them with intentions of increasing oil drilling. His choices are, again, made with money in mind. He wants to lower prices for Americans for such products, gas essentially. He wants to make this nation a rich one and prove that the United States is the leader in oil and gas. These directly undo Biden’s plans and hopes for a cleaner energy source becoming mainstream.
Much of the fossil fuel work will be seen in Alaska where Trump plans to pass more permits for sites and create more energy products there. Exploring and developing more in Alaska will undoubtedly impact wildlife, like trees, which further brings us backwards in the climate area because these natural places are great carbon sinks which we benefit from.
New Leadership's Repercussions
Cutting funds for environmental efforts is going hand in hand with some of the new appointees Trump has. Lee Zeldin is the nominee for the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency. Now most people probably don’t think anyone would do harm under such a role, right? Well, Zeldin supports Trump’s plans to increase the use of oil and gas which has no benefit to the climate changes. Zeldin also shares Trump’s ambitious economic goals which are placed above the environmental priority. These gentlemen wish to have America prosper financially. He does state that he will monitor and work towards achieving both a prosperous economy and fossil fuel industry, while maintaining clean air and water. Both would be wonderful, we will continue to see how these plans play out.
Thank you for talking about this! I am heavily invested in Trumps plan to increase the use of fossil fuels, I am genuinely worried for our future. I like how you mentioned Trumps plans are solely based on the money at hand, I think that this is a very important thing to note as money will not be able to reverse these crucially damaging affects of Trumps presidency.
ReplyDeleteHow much of an anti-climate change believer he is, and he is the one in charge of everything is kind of scary to me. I'm not surprised that he wants to keep moving forward with fossil fuels and increase drilling and fracking, which will just cause more harm than good. Maybe we will need to find a new planet to live on sooner than we have thought.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very beneficial post considering how recent this has all been happening. I tend to question logic and emotions when faced with political standpoints. I find it hard to survive financially in the world we're living in right now but also, what world will we have if we don't put effort (and money) into the actual Earth and what is happening to it?
ReplyDeleteI question if Trump is thinking about the long term impacts of his policies. It's especially concerning how the push for increased fossil fuel use and reduced environmental protections could further delay progress in combating climate change and protecting ecosystems.
ReplyDeleteIt is horrifying and shocking that Trump was so easily able to withdraw from all the green acts and agreements that were previously set up to protect the environment. Pulling out from the Paris Agreement is basically dooming the United States as the only other countries not in this agreement are Iran and other third-world countries.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that Trump can reverse four years of policy and action related to climate change from the last administration is mind boggling. Policymakers are suddenly futile when Trump can wave away progress with his pen. If he doesn't protect the environment in any way possible he too will suffer the consequences. It is just so selfish that someone of this much older generation would wish a burning world on those just entering it
ReplyDeleteThe saying goes "one step forward and two steps back" but it is more like four or five steps back. four years is too long to be under his tyranny and the hatred that he has for the environment.
DeleteI am honestly very surprised that Trump has signed so many executive orders in such a short period of time. My first impression was that he was just doing it for the show and attention but as I read more about what has been rolled back and dismantled, I am thinking that this is not just for attention. It feels more like blatant actions that only benefit a handful of people, not many people at all.
ReplyDeleteThis anti science standpoint from Trump is very alarming. Science is what drives our species forward. Seeing this view from the president where a lot of people look to for information is scary.
ReplyDeleteIt's discouraging how not only is Trump backing out of taking legally-binding climate actions, but he is also increasing fossil fuel use. Climate ignorance alone is frustrating, but it is unbelievable how we have elected someone with these beliefs in office.
ReplyDeleteIt is just so sad that this is our current reality. The appointee for the EPA should not be someone who values economic policies over environmental ones. Having a president who is anti-science and refuses to educate himself or appoint educated individuals is extremely scary.
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing this and focusing on this dangerous issue. It is so scary to me that this is the world we live in. One man can mess with our environment and there is nothing we can do about it. I personally would rather pay a little more for gas and actually have a world that is livable for future generations. But I do not know what to think about all of this.
ReplyDeleteConsidering that oil/gas companies are among his largest donors these developments aren't at all surprising. The chokehold that big business has on politics is the biggest downfall of our current system. As long as these private corporations are allowed to legally bribe our politicians, nothing significant will be done about any problem that affects their bottom line - including climate change.
ReplyDeleteThese actions could significantly damage attempts to combat climate change by raising greenhouse gas emissions and impeding the development of renewable energy.
ReplyDeleteIt is really disheartening to hear about Trump and Zeldin's anticipated plans for drilling in Alaska. I have heard a lot in recent years about protesting/activism efforts to convince the Biden Administration to protect parts of Alaska from drillings and to see all of our progress be swept away in a matter of weeks is quite depressing.
ReplyDeleteIt is horrifying to watch the government go backwards in terms of climate policies at a time when it is so urgent that we try to cut down on pollution and improve the environment around us.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post. It was also very informative. I am not big on politics, so I have no idea what goes on and this was surprising. I can understand why he wants to make more money, but I can't believe he or his surrounding people are that ignorant to the challenges our earth is facing.
ReplyDeleteYour report on Trump's environmental actions is certainly concerning! Anyone who is serious about clean air, not to mention climate change, knows that we have to stop burning fossil fuels!
ReplyDeleteTrump's environmental policies, including withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and prioritizing fossil fuel development, significantly undermine global climate action and environmental protection efforts.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I didn’t know Trump signed nearly 100 executive orders so fast—that’s intense. The Paris Agreement part really made me think. Saving money is good, but at what cost? Also, I had no idea about Lee Zeldin at the EPA. Curious to see how this balance plays out!
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