Acts of Destruction

Imagine a scenario in which for some unfathomable reason a world government had as its main goal to do whatever it could to destroy the environment.

What would be the result?

It would probably not be vastly different from what has occurred, and is currently occurring under the Trump administration.

Acts of Destruction

The graphic I presented at the head of this article lists a number of Acts which have been abandoned by the Trump administration. However, The New York Times has reported that, using Harvard Law School’s data, the Trump administration has so far initiated the reversal of sixty-seven environmental laws.

The Paris Agreement

The Paris Agreement came into being in 2016 and was designed to bring all nations into a common cause to combat climate change. One hundred and ninety-four countries signed up to the agreement and agreed to make their best efforts to put forward nationally determined contributions, and to set specific targets for reduced emissions levels by specific dates.

The only countries who did not sign up to the agreement were Syria and Nicaragua. And, their reasons for not doing so was not that they did not think that climate change was a real issue.

In 2017 Trump announced that he intended withdrawing the USA from The Paris Agreement. He gave as his primary reason that he was putting “America first”.

The USA is the second highest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world. It is responsible for 14.6% of the world’s emissions. In first place is China which is responsible for 27.2%. However, the population of the USA is 329,413,160 compared with China 1,401,667,160. This makes the per capita emission level in the USA significantly higher.

The reckless environmental vandalism currently being pursued by the Trump administration will continue to drive up emission levels. Whereas, China is taking significant steps to reduce emissions.

Here for example is a quotation from a former post-graduate student I have worked with who recently returned with her husband from a trip to China.

“We all know Tesla - it's sexy, expensive and clean. In Shenzhen, China, there are more EVs than petrol vehicles: 100% Electric buses; more than 30% electric vehicles and hundreds of millions electric bikes at every corner. Thanks to the Chinese government strategy and subsidies, more and more EVs on the road in China. Buying an EV in China is very affordable (around AUD$5k-10k). And you can find charging stations in most shopping centres and street parking lots.”

Sandy Xu Xin Xi

Well, a little hyperbole was used in the “hundreds of millions electric bikes at every corner”, but I am sure you get the point.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The Environmental Protection Agency in the USA is in ruins. It may never recover.

If there is a change of government, a government which accepts that the environment is important and that climate change is real, the EPA may have a chance of recovery. But, that recovery will be slow. Too much damage has already been inflicted upon the EPA. If the Trump administration stays in power, the demise of the EPA will be terminal.

The destruction of the EPA has not been an accident. Trump appointed a climate change denier, Scott Pruitt, to head the organisation and to dismantle US environmental regulations. The toxic environment in the EPA has resulted in mass resignations and firings. People who genuinely care about the environment have been forced out of an agency which was set up to protect the environment. Intimidating memos have silenced the EPA scientists and the EPA is now staffed with Trump loyalists.

Trump has claimed that American environmental laws are stifling economic growth.

Executive Orders

Trump would have us believe that the large number of executive orders he signs, thirty in his first one hundred days in office, is an indicator of the effective work he is doing. Others would disagree with that viewpoint.

A cause of concern regarding Trump and his executive orders is that he believes he can cancel executive orders given by former presidents, just by writing a new one himself.

National Monuments can be created by an executive order. Two examples of these National Monuments are Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah.

In 2017 Trump dismantled the orders protecting these areas and opened them up for drilling and mining of copper and cobalt. Removing protection of these 2.2 million acres of land is the largest removal of protected land in US history.

Endangered Species

Infamous for their hunting and killing of endangered species are Trump’s two eldest sons, Donald Jr and Eric. Showing this lack of concern for other life seems to be a family attribute. The Trump administration in 2018 announced its intention to change the way in which the Endangered Species Act is administered, by announcing that more weight would be given to economic considerations, when making decisions on endangered animals' habitat.

The Sage Grouse is a uniquely American bird. The Trump administration’s Department of Interior has eased restrictions on drilling and mining which is threatening the survival of this endangered bird.

The threat also extends to animals living in the ocean.

Companies have been approved to use seismic air gun blasts to search for underwater oil and gas deposits. We can only imagine the distress these deafening blasts causes marine animals. The sound intensity certainly will create disorientation for animals using sonar to communicate.

An important food source for much marine life is plankton. These blasts kill plankton.

80,000 People Deaths

The air that Americans breathe will become less clean whilst the reckless environmental polices of this government remain. The EPA has loosened regulations on toxic air pollutants. The same body has relaxed rules around methane flares. The requirements regarding inspection of equipment and repairing leaks is now not as strict.

The Clean Power Plan was one of Obama’s signature policies. It has been rolled back by the current administration. One of the reasons cited is that Obama had a “war on coal”. Plans to weaken Obama’s fuel economy rules have also been announced.

Two Harvard University scientists have looked at the impacts of changes to EPA’s policies on air pollutants and toxic chemicals. By analysing the EPA’s data they have arrived at an estimate of an additional 80,000 deaths over a decade.

The Future

Trump has surrounded himself with people who will publicly support his viewpoint. The person he has appointed as Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, for example, is a hard line climate denier.

It is crucial that this administration is replaced before the damage it has created can not be repaired.

This article has looked only at the current federal administration in the US. There are also environmental vandals in other world governments. Australia, for example, has conservative members of its federal government who are advocating the construction of the world’s largest coal mine in the Galilee Basin in central Queensland.

However, the future does not have to be all doom and gloom.

The majority of the world’s population know that climate change is real and that we, the people of the world, are a part of that problem. Awareness of the factors creating environmental damage is one of the initial steps towards solving the problem. The rational, sensible people who listen to and accept the facts need to help others understand the extent of the problem.

Economic development and the future health of our planet are not mutually exclusive.

Wealthy environmental philanthropists are making a significant difference, but you do not need to be wealthy to help. Everyone can assist in helping to make this world a more liveable place for our future generations. Here are just ten ways that you as an individual can help.

1. Donate your time, skills or money to an environmental cause.

2. Create a bee and insect friendly garden, and/or convert your lawn into a wildflower patch.

3. Share your knowledge about environmental issues without being overbearing.

4. Do not litter.

5. Carry a bag when walking your dog to pick up its poo.

6. Walk, ride a cycle, or use a train or bus instead of a private vehicle.

7. Live your life with honesty and integrity.

8. Decrease your use of plastics.

9. Do not purchase what you do not need, and reduce, reuse and recycle.

10. Get outdoors and enjoy nature and enjoy life.