By Janet Ekstract NEW YORK – The New York Times reported that a new analysis by the Rhodium Group reveals that U.S. President Donald Trump’s environmental rollbacks will have significant consequences in key areas related to climate change that include federal fuel economy standards, rules limiting hydrofluorocarbons, methane standards for landfills, methane standards for oil and gas operations as well as the California vehicle emission authority. Trump made it clear that drilling for new oil and gas reserves is his administration’s priority but as analysts point out – Trump’s cancellation of environmental protections will remove checks and balances that affect climate change. Meanwhile, what experts are saying is that such rollbacks move the U.S. away from its previous stance on supporting global climate action, Trump’s plan also would remove incentives for electric vehicle (EV) production.
Not only is the U.S. one of the top greenhouse gas emitters, as recent media reports have indicated, it is now behind China on EV production and innovation. As a recent Forbes article stated, “Chinese automakers have surged ahead to dominate the EV space, leaving U.S. manufacturers scrambling. Former Nissan executive Andy Palmer, often called the “Godfather of EVs,” recently told Business Insider that China is now the undisputed leader in this EV manufacturing – sending a warning to Tesla, GM, Volkswagen and other EV makers.” Part of China’s innovation in the EV industry includes dual motors and regenerative brakes which leaves the U.S. lagging behind. As analysts point out, the U.S. should protect its auto industry and its innovation in manufacturing since there are close to 5 million people employed in the industry in America.
Observers point out that a number of rollbacks Trump has already made, will probably be challenged in U.S. courts. As the Co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab and policy expert Ayana Elizabeth Johnson told the press, “These orders will make our air dirtier, make people sicker, make energy more expensive, and make our communities less prepared for extreme weather.” A major move was Trump’s executive order to again withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement whose goal is global cooperation on climate change. Even China has reiterated its commitment to remain on-track to combat climate change with its own environmental initiatives. What Trump’s decision means is that the federal government will no longer be required to meet emissions reduction goals or any financial commitments to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). President and CEO of the World Resources Institute Ani Dasgupta told the media, “Walking away from the Paris Agreement won’t protect Americans from climate impacts, but it will hand China and the European Union a competitive edge in the booming clean energy economy and lead to fewer opportunities for American workers.”
Trump’s new order can make use through the federal government, of eminent domain and the Defense Production Act that allow the government to use private land and resources to produce goods they consider to be a national necessity. Meanwhile, experts have contradicted Trump’s view of an “inadequate energy supply” as his reason for the order. As Senior Director of the Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University Gary Dirks told the press, “The reality is that the United States is well-supplied with energy in all of its forms.” Dirk added that Trump’s move is most likely aimed at reducing gas prices. Also affected by the order is The Endangered Species Act that limits the expansion of fossil fuels in the U.S. to protect wildlife. Conservation groups highlight that this order will exponentially increase the decline and potential extinction of a plethora of endangered species that include whales and sea turtles. A section of the order declaring an energy emergency, states that the Endangered Species Act cannot be an obstacle to energy development.
The new executive order has also given carte blanche for the U.S. government to open regions in the untouched Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling. Under the Biden administration this refuge was protected and other areas in the Artic were allowed limited drilling. Environmental groups view this order as a way for Trump to get around the Endangered Species Act just to gain traction on fossil fuel extraction and for corporate interests. Meanwhile, Arizona State University’s Dirks said, “I would begin by pointing out that there was an attempt to lease for oil drilling recently and nobody bid.” He added, “I don’t actually think that the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge is an exciting place for oil and gas exploration,” while voicing his concerns about protecting the environment’s biodiversity. Dirks also told the press, “It’s important to note that the United States, right now is the largest producer of oil of any nation in history. And we got to that point under the Biden administration, not because of the Biden administration’s policies necessarily, but because of policies that have been ongoing for four decades.”
