For the past couple of years, climate change and climate policy have been on the minds of most voters in America. Right now, 97 percent of climate scientists agree that climate change is a huge threat to the world and most definitely caused by humans.
Due to the largest amount of fossil fuel emissions we’ve seen in history, these past five years have been the hottest on record. This increase in temperature is already beginning to intensify storms and create extreme weather conditions. This is leaving lower-income and marginalized communities with a mess they aren’t able to fix. While the negative ramifications of climate change have been a concern for individuals around the world for a long time, the topic rarely saw attention up until recently at the first presidential debate of 2020.
During the first presidential debate, both President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden were asked, “What do you believe about the science of climate change and what will you do in the next four years to confront it?” by Fox host and moderator Chris Wallace.
President Trump responded by stating, “I want crystal clean water and air. I want beautiful clean air. We have now the lowest carbon… If you look at our numbers right now, we are doing phenomenally. But I haven’t destroyed our businesses.”
This statement in indicative of President Trump’s approach to climate policy. While it is true President Trump recently extended a moratorium on banning offshore oil drilling here in the state of Florida, there are plans to drill in the Arctic if re-elected. In addition to this, we are actually seeing the highest numbers of carbon dioxide levels emitted into our atmosphere. The current President has also rolled back on 100 climate-related policies during his time in the Oval Office. This is due to him not wanting to negatively impact the business sector.
The current President also previously pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Accords, an international effort to minimize the negative impacts of climate change. Aside from this, there is not much information regarding President Trump’s plans for future climate policy.
Former President Joe Biden responded to the same question by stating, “Nobody’s going to build another coal-fired plant in America. No one’s going to build another oil fire plant in America. They’re going to move to renewable energy.”
Former Vice President Biden also stated he wants to introduce a two trillion dollar climate plan, which would introduce a Climate Justice Department and attempt to eliminate carbon pollution from the United States electrical grid by 2035. His plan is also expected to create over one million jobs to help stimulate the economy and help Americans after the pandemic.
While the two candidates have completely different policies, one thing the two can agree on is their lack of support for the Green New Deal. During the debate, President Trump accused Biden of supporting the “radical Green New Deal,” to which Biden responded with, “I don’t support the Green New Deal.” Both candidates also do not plan to ban fracking anytime soon.
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