US president Donald Trump’s measures on climate and energy “will be felt by the whole world”, according to Wim Thiery, climate scientist at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).
The Belgian scientist fears that the current Trump administration’s “drill, baby, drill” mantra will only accelerate climate change, with enormous consequences.
Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement and pump more oil and gas will lead to an extra four billion tonnes of CO2 being emitted by 2030, according to UK climate platform Carbon Brief.
“The US is already being hit hard by climate change, with sea level rise threatening coastlines, more intense hurricanes and a growing number of wildfires,” Thiery said. According to a VUB study, the area affected has already increased by 42 per cent and will continue to do so.
Scientists expect visible effect
During his inauguration speech, Trump also announced that he would no longer honour his predecessor Joe Biden’s Green New Deal. “On his first day in office, Trump put his words into action by scrapping a number of Biden’s climate policies,” Thiery said.
According to Thiery, the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement will make it “much harder to conclude international climate agreements”, as the US was a major player with a lot of weight in climate negotiations.
As a result, the whole world will feel the effects of Trump’s climate policies, Thiery said. “All things considered, we as climate scientists unfortunately expect a visible effect,” he said.
Kiki Berkers, climate expert at the NGO 11.11.11, agrees. According to her, Trump is “opening the door wide for the fossil fuel industry” while “certain parts of the country are burning”.
With or without Trump
Yet Trump cannot undo all the benefits of climate policy in one day, said Berkers. “Policy initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act still offer some protection, as several states are feeling the benefits of renewable energy.”
Berkers is holding her breath for the future of European climate policy. “Europe was already hiding behind Trump at COP29. There is also the threat of a deregulation offensive in the European Union, which would be a historic mistake.”
What Europe needs above all, said Berkers, is a “clear and strategic narrative for the future”. The European Union must seize the opportunity to strengthen alliances with new climate leaders in the global South. “The world keeps turning, with or without Trump.”
#FlandersNewsService | Damage caused by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Los Angeles. 19 January 2025 © PHOTO RINGO CHIA/SOPA/ZUMA PRESS WIRE
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