As a young woman and a voter, the most important issue for me by far is the climate crisis and environmental justice. A good climate plan should touch every aspect of our nation, the economy, race relations, Indigenous sovereignty, public health, national security, food systems, public infrastructure, and the way we lead and interact diplomatically on a global stage. This crisis is something that needs to be resolved now, requires dedicated leadership, and can make or break the future of the United States as a respected world leader. Who you vote (or don’t vote) for matters.
The current state of emissions
According to NOAA, the global average atmospheric carbon dioxide in 2019 was 409.8 parts per million, or, the highest it has been in the last 800,000 years of this planet. Current climate models suggest the earth will be 1.1 to 5.4°C hotter by 2100. If the U.S. and other leading polluters do not make changes as of yesterday, we are on the worst path possible.
Although U.S. emissions have declined by approximately 12 percent since 2005, the Center for Climate Change and Energy Solutions predicts that by 2025 the U.S. will still be far from the necessary targets for reductions. The goal for 2025 is to be 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels; the current trajectory will only be in the range of 14 to 18 percent. Without a strong federal policy, and individual action by states, cities, and corporations… we have no chance at curbing the irreversible, drastic changes caused by climate change.
It’s important to realize what is at stake here. In my opinion, everything. To be more specific, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C has a large list of potential and currently occurring impacts. These include increased extreme weather events like storms and droughts, loss of biodiversity, human migration due to flooding of urban coastal cities from sea level rise and degradation of agricultural land. Food systems and ecological cycles will break down. Structural inequities will become more apparent. Think about what COVID-19 has done to our nation; pandemics of the same or larger scale will become all the more likely in the next fifty years.
We know exactly what is contributing most to these climatic changes: Burning fossil fuels. The science is clear, so what are our presidential candidates saying about it? What is the future of life on this planet? Who are you voting for on November 3rd?
A recap of climate and environmental policy under Trump
In one word: rollbacks. Donal Trump has a terrible record on the environment. In the final 2020 presidential debate, Trump boasted that his administration has “the best, lowest number in carbon emissions” and “the cleanest air, the cleanest water and the best carbon emission standards that we’ve seen in many, many years.” Surprising to no one, most of this is a lie. Trump rolled back around 100 environmental rules in his four years. 26 of the completed and in progress rollbacks concern air quality alone, nine affect water pollution, and countless more threaten environmental health in our most vulnerable communities. He dismantled the Clean Power Plan, nulled the requirement that extractive industries report on methane, and of course, immediately withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord and any responsibilities to curb emissions in the next decade. This is among many other attempts to weaken emission and fuel economy standards. Air quality has been steadily improving since the 1970s due to the Clean Air Act, true, but Trump is not responsible for those improvements to heavy metal pollutants, particulates, VOCs, and various non-carbon dioxide gases.
Trump has taken actions that prioritize the economy, and by the economy, I mean the fossil fuel industry and big business. Speaking of, nearly 100 companies in the Fortune 500 paid no taxes in 2018. This includes more than a few energy and oil corporations. Another fun fact: did you know, Chevron, Exxon, BP, and Shell are responsible for more than 10% of global emissions since 1965?
FYI, Trump has no plan or official platform on climate and environment. Enough said.
What is Biden’s climate plan?
Also in the final debate, Biden said that we will pass the point of no return on climate action in the next eight to ten years. He plainly called the climate crisis what it is: “an existential threat to humanity.” His climate plan, called the Clean Energy Revolution, echoes the ambitious goals of the Green New Deal.
One of the best things about Biden’s climate plan is its progressive elements of environmental justice. He considers how communities of color are affected the most by the fossil fuel industry and are disproportionately forced to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The main goals of Biden’s plan are to 1) achieve a 100% clean energy economy and reach net-zero emissions no later than 2050 by establishing an enforcement mechanism; 2) rebuild the nation and ensure that our buildings, water, transportation, and energy infrastructure are sustainable and resilient; 3) recommit the United States to the Paris Agreement and lead other nations into climate action; 4) take action against fossil fuel companies and other polluters that target low-income and communities of color; 5) transition workers in the fossil fuel industry to green jobs.
One of the biggest questions is how we can afford to make these systematic changes. The good news is that Biden has the specifics on how much will be invested, and the resulting economic growth that should ensue. His $1.7 trillion climate plan, which primarily invests into renewables, will create 8.8 million more jobs than Trump’s plan to boost the economy, according to Oxford Economics agency Moody’s. These are some big numbers, but when you think about it, we have no choice but to invest in a better future.
The longer we wait to take action, the harder it will become to face the inevitable impacts of climate change. Should Biden win, his plan would be the most progressive ever taken in U.S. history. Conversely, Trump’s plan is nonexistent, and if it did exist, it would only be about profit margins. This election, you can either vote to stay where we are, or vote to move forward. The climate crisis is not going anywhere until we make that choice.