The United States has certainly experienced the harmful effects of climate change this year. From wildfires in the Pacific, hurricanes on the Gulf, and flash floods in the South, the US has faced 8 natural disasters each exceeding a billion dollars in damage in just this year alone. With almost one in three Americans affected by a natural disaster this year, a drastic increase from past years, the consequences of climate change seem to be evident and palpable across the country.
President Biden, aware of these catastrophes and aware of his previous statement promising to cut fossil fuels in half by 2030 has been speaking out, urging for legislation to be passed with regards to climate change. Biden and Democrats are pushing for a $3.5 trillion plan that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change in one of the consequential and transformative policies so far.
While President Biden hopes to put the US at the forefront of global environmental protection in Glasgow, the domestic response to climate control is too polarized and lacks any sort of consensus. In the past, the US has signed international climate agreements only to face problems domestically with their implementation. For the international community to take Biden seriously and allow the United States to spearhead and implement environmental policies, the US must reach an agreement regarding climate control and demonstrate that they take this issue seriously.
Climate control is one of the most polarizing issues in the United States with contention even within parties. According to a poll conducted in 2019, liberal Democrats ranked global warming the third most pressing issue and moderate Democrats ranked it eighth. While Conservative Republicans ranked global warming the twenty-ninth most important issue and moderate Republicans ranked it twenty-third. This stark contrast between parties and even within parties demonstrates just how split America is over climate control.
There is consensus between both parties regarding the need to help and prepare communities with natural disaster relief. The difference between parties arises with regards to carbon emissions: while Democrats wish to reduce and minimize fossil fuels, Republicans do not feel the same sense of urgency to decarbonize.
In the coming weeks, to be respected and taken seriously as a global spearheader of climate control policy, the US under the leadership of Biden must reach an agreement and implement an environmental policy that is supported by both Democrats and Republicans.