How Trump’s Presidency May Affect Climate Change
Citizens of the U.S. can expect some differences in government plans for climate change
Donald Trump was elected as the next president of the United States for the following four years (after his term started). As a result, citizens of the U.S. can expect some differences in government plans for climate change. For some context, one of the acts that President Biden has been trying to execute is the Inflation Reduction Act. The Inflation Reduction Act targets many aspects, which include: creating jobs for U.S. workers, protecting domestic manufacturing chains, and specifically for this topic today, promoting clean energy and the reduction of greenhouse emissions.
Trump seeks to repeal some programs of this act regarding climate change. Though he does not specify which programs he hopes to remove, Republicans are particularly criticizing programs that emphasize offshore wind power. They argue that if these acts were repealed, there would be a cut in federal spending and more funds for more important issues. It is important to note that the entire process of the Inflation Reduction Act is long and not entirely carried out, so Trump intends to cancel programs that are not yet intact. $145 billion in funding is planned to go towards the act, with around $60 billion already spent. Full repeal of these climate laws is unlikely, however, Republican regulations will still change the economy and environment.
Trump and his administration are also trying to launch the Climate Deregulation Tracker, which involves removing regulations on some laws on climate change. According to him, it is necessary to divert their focus on reducing fuel economic standards of cars, which presents more challenges to the climate than other pre-established laws. As Trump brings a more unique approach to the challenges of climate change, it could set back the U.S.’s climate goals. In the past, he has also expressed his doubt on the severity of global warming. We do not know whether or not Trump’s presidency will mitigate damage to the environment, but citizens need to do every part we can to protect the world we live in.
Sources:
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/05/trump-inflation-reduction-act-00177493
https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/inflation-reduction-act
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