The re-election of Donald Trump as President of the United States in 2024 has reawakened debates on how U.S. policy shifts could impact the global response to climate change. Known for his staunch support of deregulation and skepticism toward climate science, Trump’s previous term included substantial rollbacks of environmental protections, a withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, and a push for fossil fuel expansion. Now, with another four years of his leadership, questions abound about how the 2024 election outcome will impact the global environmental landscape and hinder—or reshape—efforts to combat climate change.
In this article – Trump Wins 2024 US Election: The Global Effect on Environment and Climate Change, we will examine the potential consequences of Trump’s 2024 victory on environmental policies, renewable energy investment, emissions regulation, and multilateral climate agreements. With facts and figures, we will discuss how these changes could reverberate globally, affecting climate policies, scientific research, corporate practices, and grassroots environmental movements.
Table of Contents
Trump Wins 2024 US Election: The Global Effect on Environment and Climate Change
1. Renewed Push for Deregulation and Its Potential Global Ripple Effects
During his first term, Trump’s administration aggressively pursued deregulation, rolling back over 125 environmental protections, according to data from The New York Times. These rollbacks included dismantling limits on methane emissions from oil and gas production and relaxing restrictions on pollutants released into waterways. Methane, a greenhouse gas approximately 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, saw an alarming rise in U.S. emissions due to these policy shifts. In 2020, U.S. methane emissions were estimated to be over 700 million metric tons, primarily from the fossil fuel industry, according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data.
The 2024 election result could lead to a new wave of deregulation that may not only increase U.S. emissions but also create a domino effect internationally:
- Impact on Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The United States is the world’s second-largest greenhouse gas emitter, responsible for approximately 15% of global emissions. A return to loose regulatory standards could push this figure higher, making it challenging to achieve the 1.5°C global temperature limit agreed upon in the Paris Agreement.
- Incentive for Competitive Deregulation: Other countries, particularly those with significant industrial sectors competing with the U.S., may feel pressure to relax their own environmental standards. Nations with economies heavily reliant on oil and gas—such as Canada, Brazil, and Russia—might consider similar deregulation to remain economically competitive. This could dilute global environmental standards, intensifying climate change’s effects.
2. Redirection from Renewable Energy to Fossil Fuel Investments
The previous Trump administration largely shifted federal support away from renewable energy and toward fossil fuels. Federal subsidies for fossil fuels increased while clean energy incentives were reduced. Between 2017 and 2021, there were substantial cuts to funding for renewable energy research, with the Department of Energy’s renewable energy programs experiencing proposed budget cuts of up to 70%.
Trump Wins 2024 US Election: The Global Effect on Environment and Climate Change we need to understand a renewed emphasis on fossil fuels following the 2024 election could disrupt global renewable energy development:
- Impact on U.S. Renewable Energy Market: In 2023, renewables accounted for approximately 23% of U.S. electricity generation, driven largely by solar and wind. With limited federal support, the growth of renewables could plateau or slow, which would likely prevent the U.S. from meeting its climate targets. According to a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), achieving global climate goals requires annual investments of $4 trillion in renewable energy by 2030. Any reduction in U.S. participation would place further financial strain on the renewable energy sector globally.
- Technological and Infrastructure Setbacks: The U.S. is a leader in renewable energy technology, with major breakthroughs in solar efficiency, wind turbine design, and battery storage often originating in American labs. A lack of funding and policy support for these technologies could limit innovations crucial to making renewable energy more affordable and accessible worldwide. Moreover, federal incentives, such as tax credits for clean energy projects, play a critical role in reducing renewable energy costs. Without these incentives, the cost of solar and wind projects could increase, dampening investment and slowing adoption globally.
3. Potential Withdrawal or Diminished Commitment to International Climate Agreements
One of Trump’s most significant actions on the international stage was the 2017 decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement. The withdrawal sent shockwaves through the global climate community, with many fearing it would weaken international resolve to address climate change. Under the Biden administration, the U.S. rejoined the Paris Agreement and pledged ambitious emissions reductions. However, the 2024 election has cast doubt on America’s climate leadership once again.
With the understanding, Trump Wins 2024 US Election: The Global Effect on Environment and Climate Change, a U.S. withdrawal or diminished participation could weaken multilateral efforts and discourage other nations from achieving their climate targets:
- Undermining Global Cooperation: The Paris Agreement, signed by nearly 200 countries, aims to keep global warming below 2°C and ideally limit it to 1.5°C. Without the U.S., the world’s second-largest emitter, participating actively, the chances of meeting these targets are reduced. According to the United Nations, global emissions need to decline by 45% by 2030 to meet the 1.5°C target. If the U.S. is not part of the solution, other countries may lose motivation to pursue costly emissions reductions.
- Shifting the Burden of Leadership: Countries like the European Union and China may find themselves under pressure to fill the leadership void if the U.S. steps back. While the EU has introduced ambitious climate policies, such as the European Green Deal, and China has pledged carbon neutrality by 2060, these efforts alone may be insufficient without U.S. cooperation. China, for example, accounts for 28% of global emissions, and without an ambitious partner like the U.S., its transition to cleaner energy sources may be slower.
4. Strengthening Climate Activism and State-Level Environmental Efforts
The 2024 election result could also intensify climate activism and push state governments to lead environmental efforts independently of federal policies. During Trump’s first term, U.S. climate activism reached new heights, with movements like the Sunrise Movement and Fridays for Future mobilizing millions of young people to demand climate action. With Trump back in office, grassroots environmental organizations may become even more vocal.
Possible outcomes (Trump Wins 2024 US Election: The Global Effect on Environment and Climate Change) include:
- Corporate Pressure and Sustainability Initiatives: Corporations increasingly feel pressure to act on climate issues due to consumer demand and investor expectations. According to Deloitte’s 2021 Global Consumer Insights, 60% of consumers prefer brands committed to sustainability. This consumer pressure may encourage companies to adopt environmental goals, regardless of federal policies, as seen with corporations like Amazon and Microsoft pledging to become carbon-neutral by 2040 and 2030, respectively.
- State-Led Climate Policies: Many states, such as California, New York, and Washington, have committed to aggressive climate targets that align with or exceed federal mandates. California, the world’s fifth-largest economy if it were a country, has set a target to be carbon-neutral by 2045. These state-led initiatives could counterbalance federal policy, keeping the U.S. on track to reduce emissions even if the Trump administration’s stance on climate is lax.
5. Impact on Climate Science and Funding for Research and Innovation
Federal funding for climate science took a substantial hit under Trump’s first administration, with proposed budget cuts for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy. In 2020, Trump’s administration proposed a 26% reduction in funding for the EPA, which would have affected climate science, clean air programs, and environmental monitoring. Reductions in climate research funding could have profound implications for global understanding and mitigation of climate change.
Consequences of diminished funding for climate research include (Trump Wins 2024 US Election: The Global Effect on Environment and Climate Change)
Data Collection and Climate Modeling Challenges: Agencies like NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provide critical climate data that researchers worldwide rely on for climate modeling. With reduced funding, essential data collection may suffer, creating knowledge gaps that hinder our ability to forecast and plan for climate-related impacts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) uses U.S. data and models extensively in its climate assessments. Reduced American research contributions could weaken the quality and accuracy of these global reports.
- Slower Technological Progress: Innovations like carbon capture and storage (CCS) are pivotal to reducing emissions from heavy industry. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has called CCS a “critical technology” for achieving net-zero emissions, estimating that CCS capacity needs to reach 7.6 billion tons by 2050. Reduced U.S. investment in such technology could slow its development, limiting options for high-emissions industries worldwide.
6. Global Trade and Environmental Impact of U.S. Policy
The United States is a key player in the global economy, with trade policies that significantly impact other countries. Trump’s past approach involved promoting fossil fuel production, opening vast tracts of land for drilling and mining, and relaxing emissions standards for industrial production. This approach may continue, impacting global trade dynamics and environmental standards:
- Increased Emissions from U.S. Trade Partners: If the U.S. lowers its environmental standards, trade partners may feel less incentive to maintain strict environmental regulations themselves. For example, Canada and Mexico, major U.S. trade partners through the USMCA agreement, might relax their own emissions standards to remain competitive.
- Global Supply Chains and Carbon Leakage: As the world in the mood of Trump Wins 2024 US Election: The Global Effect on Environment and Climate Change, Carbon leakage—where production shifts to countries with less stringent climate policies—could rise if U.S. policies favor high-emissions industries. For instance, goods produced under looser regulations could flood the global market, displacing cleaner options and increasing overall global emissions.
Conclusion
Trump Wins 2024 US Election: The Global Effect on Environment and Climate Change is an article that affirms that Donald Trump’s re-election in 2024 could reshape the global approach to climate change in significant and far-reaching ways. With the potential for deregulation, a weakened commitment to international agreements, and reduced funding for scientific research, the U.S. may adopt policies that could undermine the progress made in recent years. The global response to these shifts will be crucial. While some states, corporations, and grassroots activists may counterbalance federal policy, the road to a sustainable future becomes much steeper without cohesive federal and international leadership.
This pivotal moment demands resilience, adaptability, and renewed commitment from all sectors of society to mitigate the impact of climate change effectively. The outcome of the 2024 election underscores the complex relationship between national politics and global environmental policy, testing the world’s collective resolve to combat one of humanity’s greatest challenges.
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Trump Wins 2024 US Election: The Global Effect on Environment and Climate Change