More than 30 years ago, the US became the first industrial country to confirm the world’s first climate treaty. Since then, the Congress has made much less to respect that commitment.
Now, climate change is not just an environmental issue-it has become a quality-life issue affecting every American city and family.
Climate effects are the most obvious because the communities turn into ashes, the houses float on the swelling rivers, lower the neighborhood for tornado debris, and the air becomes so hot that we go out and put our lives at risk. More than 4 million Americans Last year, the weather disasters were displaced from their homes. During the last two months, four out of 10 people live in hit counties from one or more weather disasters. More than One of the four housesThe price of about 13 trillion dollars is at risk of weather disasters.
However, global warming is also increasing inflation, health care costs, food prices and insurance rates.
Polls show that 70 percent Americans now believe that climate change is a serious problem, 64 percent Support the development of clean energy, and 52 percent Consider global warming the highest priority for the President and the Congress. As yet, The President still insists that climate change is a deception.
Worse is that it is destroying the government’s ability to reduce, guess and help the methodical climate change methodically. Trump wants Remove FEMA and Government’s financial security trap For those states and communities that have abolished their disaster funds.
There was a glimpse of Asha in 2022 when the Congress worked with President Biden to pass inflation in the Act (IRA). This included the nation The biggest investment in clean energyOver the next two years, financing for carbon-free energy 71 percent increasedEach federal dollar attracted six private dollars, leading to A National investment of about 500 billion dollars By mid -2024.
But with Punjabac, Executive Orders and Big bad budget billTrump and Congress’s Republican rolled IRA’s clean-energy encouragement and back and Carbon-free energy projects stopped Already under construction. Instead, the president is He can do everything America’s production, consumption and increase foreign sales Of fossil fuel.
Despite the elections facing public concern about climate change, another type of election sends wrong signs to politicians. When pollutants ask people to rank issues in order of importance, Climate change usually ends near the bottom. Yet global warming is not a freestanding issue. It has a significant effect on it High rank issuesIncluding economy, life costs, jobs, inflation and energy prices.
News media and climate activists should do a better job of helping American people add dots.
For example, during last year’s campaign, Trump I swear to cut the cost of energy and electricity in halfInstead, electricity prices are increasing at a higher rate Two times of inflationHe is expected to increase another 17 percent this year. Cost of natural gas, which provides 40 percent of the US electricity, 40 percent jumped In the first half of the year compared to 2024. It is estimated to continue increasing.
Meanwhile, solar and wind technologies are pressing Trump At least expensive way to generate electricityEven without government subsidy. By disinvestment in clean energy, the budget bill of Trump is expected to force homes to pay. About $ 200 more annually for energy And to increase the cost of industrial energy to $ 11 billion in the next decade. The US is struggling to meet the power demands of the country, but the construction of clean-power technologies through 2035 in Trump’s bill will be reduced by 60 percent. Rhodium group,
The reduction in inflation Act in the next 25 years put the US on the route to achieve a pure-zero carbon economy. Research published by National library of medicine It is estimated that, except for that path, about 990,000 asthma attacks from Trump’s energy policies, more than 40,000 heart attacks, 1.5 million respiratory diseases and 3.3 million lost workdays alone in 2050.
Trump has EPA Reducing the rules of clean air, Greenhouse includes boundaries on gas emissions. One Analysis It was found that American people would spend six dollars in hospital and healthcare bills to save each dollar pollutants by abolishing these rules.
Trump talked about bringing manufacturing jobs back to America. Last year, there were almost 3.6 million jobs In the cleanliness area of America. Sector jobs increased more Twice As the rest of the workforce. Trump’s policies “can reverse the years of progress and put hundreds of thousands of workers at risk,” Bob’s facesWhose organization E2 monitors the country’s energy employment.
The Clean-Energy sector “was one of the hottest and most promising job sectors in the country at the end of 2024,” says Kef. “Now, the increase in clean energy job is at serious risk – and with it, our overall economy.”
Insurance cost of homeowners has increased 70 percent since 2021Due to part of climate change. About half of the country’s owners say that they say The premium has increased since last year,
Heatwaves are dried Important factors contributing to increase in food prices“Until we meet for net-zero emissions, the extreme weather will only deteriorate, and it is already damaging crops and increasing the price of food worldwide, according to” Maximilian coatz Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. Other researchers have warned that the cost of food may increase 3.2 percent annually Due to high average temperature.
Researchers financed in part of the National Science Foundation said in June that Americans will have to spend due to loss of clean-energy investment $ 160 billion In income in the next decade. This study concluded that Trump’s deduction in clean-energy investment will be reduced. GDP more than $ 1 trillion in 10 years.
Trump wants “American energy dominance”, but he is putting the future of the country at stake on wrong resources, Leaving global clean energy market for ChinaInternational Energy Agency hopes that clean-energy investment to grow in a record This year $ 2.2 trillion, Investing about twice in fossil fuel. It expects a demand for global oil Shikhar in five years,
If we add dots, perhaps Americans will demand that the Congress restore the country’s investment in clean energy. Perhaps the more clean-energy champion will run for the Congress next year. We know for something that Trump’s rising inflation, high energy bills, lost jobs, dirty air, poor public health and tireless weather destruction formula will not make America again great.
William S Baker“Democracy Uncharaded: Hau to Rebilant for the People” co-editor and an contributor, and an contributor to democracy in a hot time, named by Journal Nature as one of the five best science books of 2023. He first served as a senior officer in the Wisconsin Department of Justice. He is currently Executive DirectorPresident climate action project,
