Climate policies in the time of Trump

Climate policies in the time of Trump

Gabriela Ramírez Mendoza[1] , OBELA[2]

In early 2025, President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. for the second time from the Paris Agreement, signed several orders to promote fossil fuels, and ended climate policies amid wildfires and historic snowfall in his nation's south. It paints an even bleaker picture of (limited) global efforts to combat climate change. In this article, we review the new U.S. president's promises and their impact on the environment.

            After his second inauguration, Trump declared a national energy emergency because the identification, leasing, production, transportation, refining and generation capacity is inadequate for his nation's needs. His declaration seeks to boost crude oil production, liquefied natural gas, refined petroleum products, uranium, coal, biofuels, geothermal energy, strategic minerals and hydropower.

                           Source: OBELA with data from U.S. Energy Information Administration. 

            According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the North American giant produces more crude oil than any other country and has done so consistently over the past six years. In 2023, it made an average of 12.9 million barrels per day, breaking its record set in 2019 of 12.3 million, so the U.S. has no fuel shortage. 

            At the South Pole, the temperature exceeded 28°C above the 1991-2020 average on July 24. In the Arctic, the peak heat in early 2025 reached 20°C above average over the same period. U.S. tankers plan to expand their production, exploration and drilling in protected locations such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and possibly reach Antarctica shortly, with 70 billion tonnes of oil and gas reserves.

            The advent of pro-fossil energy measures comes after 2024, recognised as the hottest year in history - so far - and the first above the 1.5°C temperature 2015 Paris Agreement goal. Similarly, the United States was hit hard in 2024 by two climate change-powered hurricanes, Helene and Milton; symptoms of the rapid intensification of these phenomena are attributable to the environmental debacle. 

            In addition, in early 2025, the southern U.S. was covered by an unusual snowstorm. Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina received close to ten inches of snow, breaking their 100-year records and surpassing the winter season of places further north, such as New York, Chicago and even parts of Canada and the state of Alaska. 

            Despite freezing temperatures, much of North America did not receive the precipitation expected for the season. Drought conditions in the western United States contributed to the spread of wildfires surrounding Los Angeles during the first weeks of January 2025. 

The Trump administration's policies contrast with those adopted by Beijing. According to Climate Action Tracker, a Climate Analytics and NewClimate project, China (the world's biggest polluter) plans to peak CO2 emissions in 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. The Financial Times mentions that 44% of more than 40 experts expect the peak to be achieved by 2025. A report by the Centre for Research on Clean Air and Energy (CREA) points out that the Asian giant's clean energy generation capacity will see accelerated growth from the same year, backed by the completion of large-scale wind, solar and nuclear projects.

 In extreme weather events, the U.S. backtracking on efforts to combat climate change will affect the entire world, exacerbate the environmental crisis, and put its fragile ecosystems and vulnerable communities, such as the Deep South states, at even greater risk. Trump's moves to bolster his country's auto and oil industries will accentuate the lag with China on clean energy and hurt the planet. Washington's bid is to control trade at the North Pole and oil and gas at the South Pole.