Trump Is Missing the Potential of Clean Energy
A case on America’s diminishing role in the global effort to limit climate change
By Brandon Wilkins
The Progressive Teen Staff Writer
RECENTLY, PRESIDENT TRUMP CONFIRMED THAT HE IS PULLING THE UNITED STATES out of the Paris Agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions, an international accord that was signed by 195 member states of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (147 have ratified) except for Syria and Nicaragua. With the United States joining Syria and Nicaragua by withdrawing, Trump now seeks to reinitiate the years-long process of negotiating the accord “under terms that are fair to the United States.”
It comes as no surprise that he decided to withdraw after his embarrassing behavior at the G7 summit, for he is simply fulfilling his campaign promise to pull out of the “one-sided” Paris Accords. But by fulfilling this promise by withdrawing, these actions will leave a void in leadership for Russia and China, both of which are signatories, to fill.
China is already beginning to lead the world, as it is has just completed the world’s largest floating solar power plant offshore from Huainan and committed $360 billion in renewable energy from 2016 to 2020. By taking a backseat on an issue with worldwide consensus, Trump’s move is proving to be contrary to his commitment to reaffirming America’s leadership role in the world by allowing China, whom he attacked relentlessly for their unfair practices during the campaign for “taking advantage” of us, to assume that leadership role in clean energy with the European Union.
Trump believes that any environmental regulation is harmful for business and that such regulations to combat climate change will cost American jobs; he particularly advocated for so-called “clean coal” and less regulation on the campaign trail to appeal to Coal Country and Rust Belt blue-collar voters. He blames overregulation for the loss in coal jobs, yet he fails to understand that the demand for coal is decreasing and as a result, the coal jobs as well. His vow to “bring back coal jobs” is thus an empty and unrealistic promise if he believes in the basic economic laws of supply and demand. Since 2014, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the coal industry has shrunk by 50,300 jobs as of February this year. Meanwhile, the solar industry has 373,807 employees and growing.
If Trump truly wants to help those that are structurally unemployed by the shrinking coal industry, he should implement a government program that will offer training programs that will transition former coal workers into jobs of the clean energy industries, and invest DoE funds into expanding solar, wind, and other forms of renewable energy. As its demand grows, not only is there a potential in the multi-billion dollar renewable energy industry in innovation and more jobs — there is potential for Trump to fulfill his promises for America to be less dependent on other countries, particularly on oil. As innovations are made on powering cities and vehicles, the demand for oil from other countries will wane. As we buy less and become less dependent, we will no longer have to maintain ties with countries like Saudi Arabia that do not otherwise represent the best of American interests.
All of this is intertwined with the Paris Agreement and its goals. If President Trump, despite his isolationist policies, truly wants the United States to remain a leader on the world stage and to become less reliant on other countries in the long run, then he should reaffirm our commitment to the Paris Agreement. Anything less means that he continues on the misguided path that will ultimately hurt his voters and the rest of the country. If Trump does not affirm such a commitment, our posterity shall pay the price for the failures and tribulations that are produced as a result.
