Physical Address
23,24,25 & 26, 2nd Floor, Software Technology Park India, Opp: Garware Stadium,MIDC, Chikalthana, Aurangabad, Maharashtra – 431001 India
The re-election of Donald Trump as U.S. president on November 6, 2024, has led to climate experts warning that his administration could significantly undermine international efforts to address climate change. Climate advocates anticipate that Trump’s policy direction could severely impact both the U.S.’s role in climate action and the global push to limit global warming.
“In my long life of 82 years … there has hardly been a day when I felt more sad. I’ve witnessed something that I feel is extremely bad, not just for the United States, but for all of us in the world,” says Fraser Stoddart, a Nobel laureate and now chair of chemistry at the University of Hong Kong.
Similar sentiments were expressed by various other experts around the world who have expressed disappointment and alarm. “The U.S. has become a significant threat to the planet,” said Michael Mann, a leading climate scientist. Bill Hare, senior scientist at Climate Analytics, added, “Trump’s administration could undo crucial efforts to limit global heating to 1.5°C.”
Multiple Indian experts too expressed concern along similar lines.
Dr Gufran Beig, founder director of System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR)—Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, and Chair Professor of National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru said, “It will be hard for climate scientists, considering Trump’s earlier views about climate change being a hoax. It is known that the US drives the climate change agenda. Now, we need to redouble our efforts to tackle these challenges.”
Aarti Khosla, director of Climate Trends, said, “The world is different from the last time he came to power. Climate impacts have ravaged every part of the world, and climate change is much more visible as a determinant of global chaos. The COP in Baku is going to start under a very challenging political context, one in which the US will not have a mandate or political will. It may lead to further lack of progress on important elements like hiking cash for climate action, and may create more impediments than solutions on contentious matters like trade, given Trump’s protectionist stance.”
Manjeev Puri, Distinguished Fellow, The Energy Resources Insitute (TERI) expressed hope, “Climate change is real and the need for global action and cooperation continues to be an imperative of the highest order. While past experience hasn’t been encouraging, hope must remain for the next Trump Presidency. We hope they will find ways to do things that are supportive of climate action. Innovation and technological progress is dear to the President-elect. It is also critical for climate action and offers opportunities for U.S. leadership.”
Earlier, a survey conducted by Nature had found that eighty-six per-cent of the more than 2,000 people who took part in the survey had said that they favoured Harris, owing to concerns including climate change, and some other issues including health.
A Nature editorial said that the researchers must stay strong and united, “The research community must engage with the new administration with courage, tenacity, strength and unity. At the same time, scientists in the United States must know that they are not alone. The research community is a global one. We need to stand together and stand strong for the challenges that are to come. And that will mean continuing to speak facts to power.”
Trump is expected to swiftly dismantle climate policies enacted during the Biden administration, potentially withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement for a second time. Experts worry that his climate-skeptic stance, which includes calling climate change a “hoax” and disparaging clean energy initiatives, may result in billions of tons of additional greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, further threatening efforts to limit global temperature rise.
Meanwhile, governments worldwide are working to signal stability in the face of Trump’s election, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres reportedly aiming to unify leaders from both the Global North and South in a show of continued commitment to climate goals. European officials confirmed ongoing talks to coordinate a collective response. However, initial European markets reflected uncertainty, with renewable energy stocks falling amid fears that Trump may impose tariffs and cut Biden-era subsidies for green energy initiatives in the U.S.
However, some experts also claimed that a second Trump administration will not be able to altogether stop the country’s transition to cleaner sources of energy.
“There is no denying that another Trump presidency will stall national efforts to tackle the climate crisis and protect the environment, but most U.S. state, local, and private sector leaders are committed to charging ahead. And you can count on a chorus of world leaders confirming that they won’t turn their back on climate and nature goals,” said Dan Lashof, U.S. director of the World Resources Institute.
References:
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03635-4
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/06/trump-climate-change-environment-threat
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/06/trump-climate-change-environment-threat
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03648-z
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