politics / climate

President-elect Donald Trump’s forthcoming administration is poised to enact sweeping changes to U.S. climate policy. Early signals suggest that the federal government’s stance on climate change will shift dramatically, undermining previous efforts to combat global warming. Among Trump’s first actions will be pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement, a historic accord aimed at limiting global temperature rise. Additionally, allies of Trump indicate he plans to strip terms like “climate change,” “clean energy,” and “environmental justice” from government agency websites, signaling a stark departure from current priorities.

However, the most consequential changes will come later, as Trump targets pollution regulations on automobiles, power plants, and factories. His administration is expected to ease access for oil and gas companies to drill on federal lands. Furthermore, with the backing of a Republican-controlled Congress, Trump intends to dismantle key elements of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a cornerstone of U.S. climate policy.

The implications of these moves are profound: greenhouse gas emissions from the United States are likely to increase significantly, reversing progress made under the Biden administration.

Undoing Regulations

Trump’s election victory heralds a fundamental transformation in U.S. environmental policy. While President Biden embraced the scientific consensus on climate change, signing laws and enacting regulations to curb fossil fuel consumption, Trump has openly mocked these efforts. In a 2022 speech, Trump derided the evolving terminology around climate issues, saying, “You know, they used to call it, remember, global warming. But then that didn’t work. Had many different names. Now their great name is "climate change."”

As part of his campaign promises, Trump pledged to reduce electricity costs and stimulate economic growth by cutting taxes, imposing tariffs, and granting unrestricted access to fossil fuel resources, which he refers to as “liquid gold.” His pick for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief, Lee Zeldin, a former New York congressman, is expected to support these goals, reversing much of Biden’s regulatory framework.

Some changes will be relatively easy to implement. For example, a recently finalized methane fee for energy companies may be overturned through legislative maneuvers, as Republicans are eager to act within the regulatory window. Trump’s team also aims to significantly weaken the EPA itself, relocating its headquarters, replacing career civil servants with political appointees, and undermining nonpartisan expertise.

Drill, Baby, Drill

Trump’s administration is also targeting the Interior and Energy Departments, redirecting their focus toward aiding fossil fuel industries. Doug Burgum, North Dakota’s governor and a known ally of the fossil fuel sector, is expected to lead the Interior Department. Meanwhile, Chris Wright, CEO of a fracking company, has been tapped for the Energy Department.

While the Biden administration oversaw record levels of oil and gas drilling, it simultaneously worked to limit exploration in sensitive areas like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Trump’s administration plans to undo these protections, greenlight pending drilling permits, and loosen regulations on pollution and wildlife conservation.

Gutting Climate Legislation

Perhaps the most ambitious effort will be repealing the Inflation Reduction Act, which allocates $390 billion over ten years to reduce emissions through clean energy projects. The law has driven investments in wind, solar, electric vehicles, and nuclear energy. However, Trump and his allies view these provisions as wasteful.

Among the measures Trump plans to dismantle are the $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicle purchases and incentives for offshore wind turbines. Trump has even linked offshore wind to unfounded claims of marine life deaths, further undermining public trust in renewable energy initiatives.

Despite these efforts, repealing the IRA may face political hurdles, as a significant portion of its funds has benefited Republican-led districts, and corporations, including automakers and utilities, have invested heavily in transitioning to cleaner technologies.

The Recklessness of Climate Change Denial

Beyond policy changes, Trump’s approach reflects a deeper issue: the denial of climate change’s severity and the prioritization of short-term economic gains over long-term environmental sustainability. Scientists and organizations like NASA have repeatedly warned that humanity is at a tipping point. Global warming has already reached levels that make some changes to the planet irreversible.

Even with aggressive mitigation efforts, scientists emphasize that we can only slow the progression of climate change, not stop it entirely. This reality makes Trump’s rollback of climate initiatives not only counterproductive but dangerously reckless. By prioritizing immediate economic benefits for fossil fuel industries, his policies risk exacerbating extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and the collapse of ecosystems—outcomes that disproportionately harm the most vulnerable populations.

Short-sighted policies ignore the growing body of evidence linking climate inaction to escalating economic costs. Wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, and floods have cost billions in damages, and these events are becoming more frequent and severe. Investing in renewable energy and climate resilience is not merely an environmental imperative; it is an economic necessity.

By undermining global climate efforts, the U.S. risks losing its leadership role and alienating international allies who view climate change as an existential threat. The Paris Agreement, from which Trump plans to withdraw, represents a unified global commitment to addressing this crisis. Abandoning it sends a troubling message to the world: that the U.S. prioritizes fossil fuel profits over the shared responsibility of safeguarding the planet.

A Test of Unity

As Trump prepares to implement his climate agenda, the challenge will not only come from environmental advocates but also from within his own party and key industries. Automakers and utilities that have invested in clean energy may resist efforts to dismantle regulations and subsidies. Ultimately, the success or failure of Trump’s climate rollback will hinge on his ability to maintain cohesion among Republicans while navigating resistance from sectors that see value in a sustainable future.

The stakes are clear. Climate change is not a distant threat but a present and escalating crisis. History will judge whether the pursuit of short-term gains outweighed the responsibility to act decisively in the face of planetary peril.