MIT Business Review: Trump's victory is a tragic loss for progress in tackling the climate crisis

Trump's return to the White House puts the nation's second-largest climate polluter on a dangerous emissions trajectory we can't afford. Among other things, he wants to close NOAA and the Office of Disaster Management, which would blind the eyes of decision makers from warning of impending risks, write two of the magazine's senior editors

"Trump's return to the White House poses The second largest country in climate pollution is on a dangerous emissions trajectory that we cannot afford." So writes James Temple, Climate Editor of the MIT Business Review website which was published the day after the announcement of Trump's victory in the elections. "Trump's victory is a tragic loss for progress in dealing with the climate crisis."

"Donald Trump's overwhelming victory is a powerful blow to the fight against climate change. The return of the president-elect from the Republican Party to the White House symbolizes a time when the US will waste precious momentum, undo the progress in climate policy that has begun to bear fruit, and all this for the second time in less than a decade."

"This is happening at a moment when there is no time to waste, when many countries are still far from meeting emission targets that will allow maintaining the stability of ecosystems and the safety of communities. Under the current policies, it is expected that the globe will warm by more than 3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in the coming decades ."

"Trump may make the global situation even worse by undoing the important climate laws passed by President Joe Biden. In fact, Trump's second term could increase greenhouse gas emissions by 4 billion tons by 2030, according to a previous analysis by the site" Carbon Brief," a climate news and information site. This will exacerbate the risks associated with heat waves, floods, fires, droughts and famines, and increase the incidence of The mortality and diseases from air pollution, which according to the website "Carbon Brief" is expected to lead to climatic damages of approximately 900 million dollars worldwide."

"I started my role as climate editor at MIT Technology Review right when Trump first took office. So the job involved covering the systematic dismantling of the modest climate policy that President Barack Obama had managed to achieve. I fear it will be much worse this time, with Trump taking office feeling Powerful and with a sense of revenge, ready to challenge the rule of law and suppress dissent."

"This time, his administration will be composed even more of ideologues and loyalists, who have already prepared plans to replace experienced and knowledgeable public servants from federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency. He will have the support of the Supreme Court, which moved significantly to the right during Trump's previous term, and which has already weakened environmental doctrines and reduced the regulatory powers of federal agencies."

"This time the damage will be more painful, as the United States has finally managed to pass a real and meaningful climate policy. The Lower Inflation Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act allocated huge sums to finance beyond an economy based on clean energy. Trump has made it clear that he will aim to repeal as many sections of these laws as possible, possibly With the encouragement of some Republicans who understand that these laws bring revenue and jobs to their districts. During the long election campaign, Trump or His representatives pledged to increase oil and gas production, eliminate federal support for electric vehicles, end pollution rules for power plants, and pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement once again."

Project 2025, considered an action plan for Trump's first days in office, recommends dismantling or downsizing federal institutions including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Such a move could cripple the nation's ability to predict, monitor and respond to natural disasters such as floods and wildfires ."

"It is expected that the Trump administration will return the Ministry of Energy to focus on fossil fuel exploration, while harming investments in clean energy technologies."

"These are just some of the ways in which Trump's second term will harm the country's ability to fight climate change. In his hands he has a lot of power to hold back the economy, create international chaos and disrupt efforts to generate growth in green industries."

"The private sector may continue to invest in green technologies and clean energy, such as solar, wind, batteries and electric vehicles. Technological progress can continue regardless of who the president is. However, "by any measure, the task of dealing with climate change has now become more difficult. But nothing has changed in relation to the importance of the struggle. Every tenth of a degree is important, because any reduction in warming that the countries of the world manage to prevent will ease future suffering." In conclusion, Temple writes: "When the shock wears off and the despair diminishes, the main task remains: to strive for progress, wherever and however possible."

On the same site and on the same day I write Casey Crownheart Editor of the MIT Technology Review climate newsletter: "Joe Biden has done perhaps more than any other American president to combat climate change. One of his first actions in office was to rejoin the Paris climate agreement - which Trump withdrew from during his first term. Biden set a new goal to cut carbon emissions in the United States in half by 2030. "

"The Environmental Protection Agency issued regulations to reduce pollution from power plants, and to push the country towards electric vehicles. And the cornerstone of the Biden era was an unprecedented investment in the climate. Three laws - the bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the Chip and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act - invested hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure and research , many of them in the field of climate."

"Now, that ship faces a sharp turn. Trump expressed disdain for the threat of climate change and promised during the campaign to roll back some of Biden's key policies." A dramatic change can be expected in the way the United States will talk about climate in the international arena. Trump has pledged to withdraw from the Paris Agreement again. Things will look strange at the annual global climate talks starting next week."

"You can also expect attempts to roll back some of Biden's key climate measures, especially the Inflation Reduction Act, as my colleague James Temple covered earlier this year.

Trump's "power also depends on whether the Republicans gain control of both houses of Congress. Full control would allow more room to undermine the legislation passed by Biden. Right now the Republicans control the Senate, but the House of Representatives is not yet decided."

"A Trump term could add about 4 billion tons of carbon emissions by 2030, which would be far from the 50% cut goal set by Biden."

More of the topic in Hayadan:

• Trump has negatively affected the environment in many ways, and has also affected other populist leaders
• Towards the end of the Biden era: how has the climate policy affected under his leadership?
• McCain or Obama - who is good for science? Chapter 3: Stop global warming denial