As Trump Abandons the Climate, State and Local Governments Fill the Void - Horowitz

As Trump Abandons the Climate, State and Local Governments Fill the Void - Horowitz

With President Trump apparently committed to doing everything within his power to heat up the planet, reversing federal climate policies that were spurring progress, governors and mayors, as well as businesses, are once again stepping into the void. In his second go-round, the president seems even more determined than in his first term to put roadblocks in the way of non-carbon-producing renewable energy.

 

The actions he is taking--including tipping the regulatory scales heavily towards carbon-emitting fossil fuels, sabotaging the transition to electric cars, taking a sledgehammer to clean energy research, and attempting to kill wind power-- will not only slow the still inevitable domestic transition away from fossil fuels; it will make us less economically competitive globally, enabling China to dominate the global energy market of a future that is rapidly arriving.  

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This retreat from climate action on the home front is coupled with the president abandoning the United States’ effective global climate leadership. This proactive climate diplomacy-- grounded by setting a good example domestically--has generated commitments and actions from other top greenhouse gas producers, such as China and India. Combined with the rapidly reducing costs of renewable energy, such as solar and wind, the United States’ efforts in this area have made it still possible for the world to limit global temperature increases sufficiently to avoid the worst consequences of global warming.  

 

Mr. Trump dramatically signaled his willingness, perhaps even eagerness, to put all this at risk by making one of the first acts of his new administration his withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement.  Reprising the same counter-productive action he took in his first term, the president has once again put us in the august company of Iran, Libya and Yemen, as the only nations who are not parties to the agreement.

 

Stepping into the gap in much the same way they did in Mr. Trump’s first term, states, local governments, businesses and large non-profit institutions are committing to keep the United States making progress towards its declared carbon emissions reduction goals under the Paris Climate Agreement, despite the administration’s withdrawal.  Under the umbrella of the organization “America is All In,” government and private sector entities that represent 2/3 of the American population and 3/4 of US GDP are boosting their activities to achieve this goal. This includes 367 local governments, 10 states, 14 tribal nations, 323 businesses, and 431 higher education institutions, among other participating entities.

 

Calling attention to positive actions on the climate undertaken in the first 100 days of the Trump administration by these sub-national entities, Gina McCarthy, co-chair of “America is All In” and a former White House national climate advisor, said, “Businesses, cities, states, universities, tribes, faith institutions, and so many others are working tirelessly to ensure that clean energy continues to grow and enrich the lives of people all across America.” In California, for example, “Gov. Newsom unveiled a project to leverage satellite data to detect and reduce methane emissions, signed an MOU with 21 Brazilian states to tackle pollution and foster sustainable growth, funded another 1,000 clean electric buses for schools, announced a statewide blueprint for reaching six million heat pumps by 2030, and is working with the state legislature to extend the state’s nation-leading cap and trade program.”

 

Other actions highlighted, include Apple’s announcement that it reduced its overall greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60 percent compared to its 2015 baseline year and Atlanta unveiling its first of 56 new electric train sets. Additionally, climate-focused startups continue to grow, reaching $18.4 billion in valuations and deal-sizes at the end of Q1.

 

It will be up to our governors and mayors, as well as our business and non-profit leaders, to step up once again and blunt the negative impacts of President Trump’s full retreat on the climate. As we are now closer to the 1.5% Celsius or 2.7% Fahrenheit increase in global temperatures, where scientists tell us the worst consequences of climate change begin to set in, this work is even more vital, this time around. The good news is that the early indicators tell us that they are up to the task.