Trump and Climate Change

Steven Park
Diamond Bar HS
10th grade

Scientists from all over the United States have been doing continuous research in order to solve or reduce our rapidly deteriorating environment. Society has shown great advancement in technology which can possibly lead to a solution in this everlasting disaster. But suddenly, a major obstacle has occurred in the U.S. that may interfere with all climate change research. In 2016, Donald Trump was elected the President of the United States. Trump has belittled the situation of global warming and has tried to end a lot of research concerning climate changes. But our country has not back downed yet and continues to fight for our planet’s safety.

Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, has signaled to withdraw the Paris climate agreement with the United States. But California continues to fight for its right to continue researching on today’s climate disaster. Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, and legislative leaders says they would work directly with other nations and states to fight this climate change that has been affecting our planet for many years.

“California can make a significant contribution to advancing the cause of dealing with climate change, irrespective of what goes on in Washington,” Mr. Brown said in an interview.

But California faces a huge risk with Trump as president. Trump and other Republicans can undercut California’s climate policies, can reduce funds for the state’s vast research community, and nullify state regulations on clean air emissions and automobile fuel standards. Hal Harvey, president of Energy Innovation, a policy research group in San Francisco, explains that Trump could basically stop enforcement of the Clean Air Act and CO2 emissions, which can cause a political and legal fight more than a scientific and technological one. But Mr. Brown has presented himself as an environmental advocate in the 1970s and has seized on the prospect of leading an anti-Trump environmental movement.

Trump, however, has unified with the World Coal Association and all other parties at a conference with China, India, and other major emitters. If Trump makes good on his promises to boost coal exports and allow the extraction of oil and gas on Federal lands, this could make the unification with the other parties stronger and cause stronger bonds between each other. Matt McGrath, an environment correspondent of BBC News, says environmental movements are already reporting an increase in membership enquiries.

“If President Trump revives the Keystone pipeline, he could galvanize a new generation of climate activists,” he said.

Trump has agreed to revitalize America’s infrastructures and make them more energy efficient. This would save energy and money, and reduce emissions significantly. If Trump focuses on America’s infrastructure, pursues the use of gas for generating electricity, and spends money on developing cleaner coal, he would make a great impact to our U.S. emissions.

Our climate change has been a huge problem to our planet and the election of Trump could be our salvation to U.S. emissions or a disaster to our healthy planet.