Climate change is real. Over the last century, global annual temperatures have risen by almost 3ºF. This might not seem like a significant change, and milder winters are appealing to some, but the effects of warming are detrimental to environmental health. The 3ºF is data from around the globe averaged every year. Temperature changes are not consistent across borders, or even within them. Some areas of the world are growing colder or temperatures are not rising at the same rate as the average, while others are warming more quickly. So even though “it’s freezing in New York,” the earth is warming overall. These discrepancies are why global warming is now referred to as “climate change,” as NASA believes this to be more scientifically accurate.
Overconsumption by the US is a large contributor to many of these issues. In spite of the research backing these claims, Donald Trump has chosen to weaken or eliminate altogether 150 environmental protection measures. He consistently sides with gas and oil companies, allowing further degradation of wildlife, both terrestrial and marine. In addition to these, the president decided to withdraw from the Paris Agreement in 2017, effectively prioritizing economic value over our air, land and water quality as well as biodiversity.
Over the last few years Trump has chosen to put economics and leading industries of pollution over the environment. He has revoked the executive order which requires federally funded construction projects to factor in sea-level rise, a consequence of climate change which has been scientifically proven and has affected millions of people already. Rollbacks of the Clean Water Act have been proposed and five companies have been approved to use seismic airgun blasts to search for oil and deposits, even though this process raises concerns for marine mammals and plankton. The Trump administration has weakened restrictions on mining and drilling which were put in place to protect specific species, such as the sage grouse.
There is a surreal number of instances where the president and his administration have put economics before the protection of our environment. They may not believe in climate change, but the evidence is there– ecosystems are dying and entire species are going extinct. These consequences have larger economic implications than any of the restrictions Trump has abolished or weakened. The complete disregard that the current administration has for the climate crisis will cost people as well as many species their lives.