A second term for Donald Trump could significantly set back U.S. climate efforts, with global implications for environmental policy and carbon emissions.
Zoë Schlanger reports for The Atlantic.
In short:
- A Trump administration's potential rollback of environmental protections and increased fossil fuel drilling could lead to increased carbon emissions.
- Climate scientists express concern but also note that a four-year term, while damaging, wouldn't be irreversible for global climate efforts.
- The U.S.'s role in global warming and its geopolitical power could be impacted by its approach to climate policy.
Key quote:
“Unless that four years becomes 20 years … But if it is just four years, then you can recover.”
— Veerabhadran Ramanathan, atmospheric-climate scientist
Why this matters:
This scenario highlights the role of political leadership in climate policy and the potential long-term global consequences of national decisions. It underscores the urgency of consistent and science-based environmental policies in the face of climate change.
Will 2024 bring a repeat of these kinds of headlines? Rethinking energy and justice in the Trump era.
