‘Drill, Baby, Drill’: Week Away From COP29, Trump’s US Election Victory Worries Environmentalists – News18
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Donald Trump has vociferously supported extraction of more oil and gas in the US which is not only the world’s largest producer of fossil fuels, but also the biggest historical emitter of carbon dioxide
Trump’s victory comes just days before this year’s biggest climate conference, COP29, which is set to begin in Baku, Azerbaijan, on November 11. (File photo/AP)
Donald Trump’s victorious campaign for the US presidential elections has left environmentalists concerned. The incoming 47th President of the United States has been a climate change denier – riding his electoral campaign on “drill, baby, drill” in the world’s biggest historical emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2), and exporter of polluting gas and oil.
On Wednesday, the Republican leader confirmed his return to the White House following his vociferous calls for ramping up oil and gas production in the US – at a time when countries must transition away from fossil fuels. India’s noted environmentalist Sunita Narain said Trump’s past actions as a climate sceptic remain “deeply concerning”, and may be detrimental to global climate action.
“Trump in his campaign said that he supports fracking (drilling oil and gas) and made ‘drill, baby, drill’ his major election plank. As an environmentalist, his complete rejection of climate change is deeply worrying. If he rolls back domestic climate action in the US, especially the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) introduced by the Biden administration, then it is definitely very bad news for climate action,” remarked Narain, director-general, Centre for Science & Environment (CSE), as the results poured in on Wednesday afternoon.
The IRA signed by the Biden administration in August 2022 targeted at least a 40% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 through a slew of measures to promote clean energy, clean vehicles, and manufacturing.
IMPACT ON UPCOMING CLIMATE TALKS AT COP29
Trump’s victory comes just days before this year’s biggest climate conference, COP29, which is set to begin in Baku, Azerbaijan, on November 11. Climate finance is at the top of the agenda with the world’s most vulnerable developing countries demanding that the rich nations, led by the US and EU, pay up for the hefty cost of climate change borne by the poor nations.
“The US has not yet shown leadership at the global level when it comes to financing the most vulnerable countries or for decarbonisation,” added Narain. The $100 billion goal set in 2009 was never fulfilled, except once in 2022. Experts also recall that the Republican leader had also previously criticised climate finance mechanisms, like the Green Climate Fund, and termed these schemes as unfavourable to the US.
Trump’s return may also signal a US retreat from funding obligations and reduced financial support, but according to climate policy experts, other developed countries especially within the G7 that have historically been major emitters cannot overlook their responsibility to urgently fulfil their share of climate funding.
‘THE US MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY’
The US remains the world’s single largest producer and exporter of gas and oil in the world, with its crude oil production averaging nearly 13 million barrels per day. It is also the largest historical emitter of carbon dioxide. With the world now much closer to breaching the 1.5℃ mark of global warming set under the Paris Agreement, the stakes are even higher.
“Trump’s actions on climate policy last time, and intent to withdraw from the Paris agreement, give no confidence that he will give the right attention the climate emergency requires. Yet the world is different from the last time he came to power. Climate impacts have ravaged every part of the world. No government can afford to ignore multilateralism to solve problems of global commons,” said Arti Khosla, director, Climate Trends.
As the countdown begins for the UN Climate Summit at Baku next week, the US election results could make the already challenging path to consensus even steeper and more uncertain towards setting up a new, ambitious climate finance goal, said Harjeet Singh, climate activist and global engagement director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. “The world cannot afford for its largest historical carbon emitter and top fossil fuel producer to shirk its responsibility. The US as a nation, has an urgent duty to lead—not undermine—global efforts,” he added.
With the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events increasing globally, the climate emergency brought 200 nations together last year at COP28 in Dubai to agree to transition away from fossil fuels. With climate action now a cornerstone of sensible policy worldwide, experts hope that the clean energy transition may continue its momentum despite the potential shifts. “While past experience hasn’t been encouraging, hope must remain for the next Trump presidency. We hope they will find ways to do things that are supportive of climate action. Innovation and technological progress are dear to the President-elect,” said Manjeev Puri, distinguished fellow, TERI.
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