Another Trump presidency would roll back progress on clean energy

Once upon a time not long ago, my husband and I could jump into our car and, with few concerns, take off for a cross-country trip. That is no longer the case. Almost every day we are hit with headlines similar to those of last week: Severe weather batters USA; Death count rises in Texas; Tornado touches down near Pittsburgh. And if it’s not tornadoes, it’s flooding, or fires, or extreme heat. To say the least, these are not conditions conducive to a cross country trip.

Most would agree that these extreme weather conditions are a result of climate change and 97% of climate scientists have concluded that humans are greatly responsible for global warming and the resulting consequences. Nevertheless, Donald Trump, a non-scientist, claims to know better and has called climate change a “hoax.” As president, Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement and “dismantled major climate policies…” put in place by previous administrations to reduce climate change.

President Biden realizes we are in a climate crisis and has signed into law “…the most aggressive climax investment ever taken by Congress..”.

The Inflation Reduction Act not only aims to cut dangerous carbon emissions, but has already created 210,000 clean energy jobs and 800,000 manufacturing jobs which will help ensure a clean energy future.

If Trump once again becomes president, he will once again withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement and roll back all of the progress made towards curbing climate change. He has vowed to “drill, baby, drill,” opening up more public lands to fossil fuel drilling and extraction than ever before.

Despite Trump’s denials, we are in a dangerous climate crisis that affects the entire world. We have already seen the effects: hotter temperatures, more severe storms, increased drought and a warming and rising ocean.

We must continue to limit the results which may also lead to loss of species, not enough food to feed the world’s population, more health risks and poverty and displacement of millions of people.

For me, the great American road trip is no longer possible; for many, many others the consequences of climate change are much, much worse. We cannot afford another Trump administration; Trump is a danger to the U.S. and to the world.

Carol Sundeen lives in Lower Makefield Township.

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