Is Donald Trump The Cause Of The Greenhouse Effect?

Former President Donald Trump has expressed skepticism about the US’s climate policy, stating that the country has done more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the past four years than international competitors. However, reports show that U.S. carbon dioxide emissions spiked in 2018 and fell again last year, but overall greenhouse gas emissions remain higher.

Trump’s rollbacks of emissions policies have come at a critical moment, as the global level of greenhouse gases has increased over the past four years. If Trump wins a second term, his administration may not be able to stop the country’s transition away from fossil fuels, but any slowdown could have big impacts on climate change. Under Trump, the United States continued to lead the world in greenhouse gas emission reductions, cutting energy-related CO2 emissions by 12%. However, the president put economic growth above emissions targets, arguing that climate and other environmental regulations were harming jobs.

The five biggest Trump rule changes combined could add 1.8 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases by 2035 if they are not reversed, according to research. Commentators suggest that Trump tends to conflate climate change with environmentalism more generally. The US, the world’s second biggest carbon polluter, would still see its emissions drop under Trump due to previous policies and a market-led approach.

Research finds that emissions could spike by 4 billion tonnes of CO2 by 2030 under a second Trump term. While Trump’s moves to gut greenhouse gas regulations were applauded by many in the fossil fuel industry, coal jobs continued to decline.