A Step in the Right Direction
In the past four years, the United States’ focus on climate change has decreased drastically because of our current administration. The Trump administration has continuously denounced science and has undermined a multitude of environmental regulations. President Trump’s reaction to COVID-19 was also severely disappointing, but not surprising. The pandemic has continued to spread through the U.S. and has caused a great number of Americans health and economic struggles. Trump has continued to dismantle environmental agencies and withdraw from international environmental agreements that ensure the success of our future generations and instills a lot of uncertainty in me. I care a lot about our planet and the future of our planet, and to have a leader that blatantly disregards science truly disheartens me.
One of the ways that Donald Trump has affected both our environment and the economy is by dismantling the Clean Power Plan. The Clean Power Plan was instilled by the Obama administration after it was proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, and aimed at combating climate change produced by power plants. Power plants are the largest producer of carbon emissions (greenhouse gases) and this plan aimed to make plants cleaner while still benefitting economically.
In 2019, the Trump administration proposed to eliminate previous standards that required oil companies to monitor and repair methane leaks. Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas that we already have too much of in our atmosphere. By monitoring and repairing these leaks, we prevent the oil from going into the ground and contaminating groundwater and all the surrounding environment. Not only will this damage our environment, but it will damage all the lives of people who live around these areas.
Just recently, Trump made a formal request to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, which made efforts to combat climate change as well as to adapt to its effects, while also assisting developing countries to do the same. This withdrawal cut us off from other nations and affirmed that we are the leader in greenhouse emissions and that we do not care.
However, we are transitioning into a new administration that believes in climate change and science, and I believe we may be taking a step in the right direction. President-elect Joe Biden has a plan that involves handling our ongoing problem with COVID-19 and transition into clean energy. He plans to invest in clean energy and provide incentives for businesses to make the switch. The Biden administration wants our country to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, which is a very extreme, but a hopeful goal. Biden also wants to build and repair infrastructure to make sure that our country can withstand the effects of climate change.
Joe Biden has expressed his opinion on how the current administration has handled the pandemic, and just days after his election, he announced the forming of a Covid-19 advisory board. This board is made up of infectious disease researchers and public-health officials that will help them formulate a plan to combat the pandemic. More than 240,000 Americans have died from Covid-19, and I know I am not the only one devastated by that. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have worn a mask, socially distanced, and limited going out and being around others. The fact that others could not do the same to protect others is disgusting and unpatriotic. If you claim to be a patriot for your country, I believe you would strive to protect the health and wellbeing of your neighbors, but I have been shown that this is not true.
The Biden administration has also expressed their upsetness with how disproportionately low-income areas are affected by climate change, which is a huge reason why he wants to convert to clean energy. Cleaner energy means a cleaner environment, healthier citizens, a better economy, and an overall better country. While I do not believe that Biden is amazing, I do appreciate someone who has an actual plan to combat climate change, as it is a very real issue that is not taken seriously enough.
