His rationale for abandoning the Paris agreement is outdated and false. Now, America forges its own, lonely path in being shackled to coal and fossil fuels
Since day one as a contender for the Oval Office, current US President Donald Trump has pushed a dominant narrative: he’s a businessman. He gets economics. He knows the art of the deal. This week, with his decision to withdraw the US from the Paris agreement, the president has given the world strong reason to reject that narrative.
His rationale – that it’s a choice of economy over environment, and a fossil fuel economy is the top priority – is outdated and false. States and nations around the world have harvested the fruits of clean energy, and are redefining their economies and energy sources accordingly. Yet under false pretenses that “clean coal”, natural gas and other fossil fuel fixes are better than energy conservation and clean energy, the US forges its own, lonely path.
The idea that clean, renewable energy will generate power for our planet for generations to come is not rhetoric. The extent of human-caused climate change – and the rapidly improving economics driving the proliferation of renewable energy sources – make it fact.
If the US administration isn’t ready to move forward, hundreds of individual states and other countries will.
California is already a world leader on climate policy. Texas is rapidly expanding its wind energy capacity. In Germany, clean energy has become a movement itself, focused on thousands of small-scale projects under the Energiewende program. In Scotland, wind generation has increased by 81% over the past year, and in March this year, it produced enough energy to satisfy 136 % of the country’s household energy needs. These are just a few examples.
The US’s withdrawal doesn’t mean Americans and US investors will sit still, either. There is substantial economic opportunity in renewables. The US solar industry alone creates one in 50 new jobs. Worldwide, nearly 10 million people already work in renewable energy. Global clean technology exports doubled between 2008 and 2015, surpassing $1.15tn per year. Even America’s corporate giants – from Apple and Google to Walmart, and even oil giant Exxon Mobil – support the Paris agreement.
When news of the potential withdrawal reached the United Nations, the organization’s Twitter page read:
“Climate change is undeniable. Climate change is unstoppable. Climate solutions provide opportunities that are unmatchable.”
A Globe and Mail report showed that even fossil fuel companies – the likes of ExxonMobil, BP and Shell – think the US should stick with Paris.
This withdrawal is an ugly decision, made by a country that ought to be leading the transition to a cleaner future – not only because of its stature as an international economic powerhouse, but also because of its less-than-desirable environmental track record.
Read more: The Guardian
