The Future of Climate Action If Trump Wins

The idea of Donald Trump returning to the White House is sparking big questions about the future of climate action. If he’s elected, would we see the same shifts in environmental policy as we did during his first term? And how would that differ from the direction we’re heading under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris? Understanding how Trump’s views stack up against Harris’s can help us imagine what the future might hold for environmental action—and the economy.

Trump’s Take on Environmental Issues

Let’s start with Trump’s approach to the environment. During his first term, he made it pretty clear that he wasn’t on board with strict environmental regulations, especially if they threatened traditional energy industries like oil, gas, and coal.

1. Achieving Energy Self-Sufficiency: Expanding extraction activities in offshore areas and national parks. Increasing nuclear power and strive for self-sufficiency in rare earth elements, critical minerals, fossil fuels, and uranium. Also, investing in nuclear education and workforce development.
2. Lowering Prices Through Increased Energy Production: Eliminating inefficient subsidies and regulations, and extend the operational life of power plants.
3. Establishing a Predictable, Transparent, and Efficient Permitting Process and Regulatory Environment: Evaluating subsidies and create a rational system through regulatory and permitting reform.
4. Clean Air, Clean Water, and a Clean Environment for All Americans: Reassessing the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), and other measures to promote environmental improvement alongside economic growth. Monitor extensive environmental degradation by adversarial nations, such as China. Aim for meaningful, enforceable environmental agreements, similar to the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement), instead of the Paris Agreement.
5. Building Industrial Competitiveness: Promoting international pipelines and gas exports. Creating a situation of “energy dominance,” where the U.S. energy sector surpasses other countries in terms of pricing, stable supply, and other advantages.

For Trump, environmental policy is mainly about balancing economic growth with minimal interference. This is why, under his leadership, the U.S. pulled out of the Paris Agreement, relaxed emission standards, and opened up more federal lands for oil and gas exploration. His goal was to reduce energy costs and keep jobs in these traditional sectors.

Kamala Harris: A Different Approach to Climate Action

On the other side, Vice President Kamala Harris brings a very different perspective to climate policy. Before becoming VP, Harris had a strong record on environmental issues as a senator. She’s long been a champion of strict climate action, and her views align closely with Biden’s on reducing carbon emissions, promoting renewable energy, and re-entering the Paris Agreement.

1. Advancement of Energy Transition: Harris has pledged a $1 trillion investment toward advancing energy transition initiatives, focusing on renewable energy sources. This proposal aims to support the U.S. in moving towards a sustainable, carbon-neutral future​
2. Aggressive Climate Action: Acknowledging climate change as an “immediate threat,” she advocates for bold, innovative changes to make a transformative impact. Her approach calls for equity in energy transition, ensuring a fair process for communities impacted by climate policies​. She also put out a climate plan during her campaign that included $10 trillion of public and private spending and called for reaching net-zero by 2045.
3. Environmental Justice: Supporting low-income and minority communities disproportionately affected by pollution and environmental degradation. Her policies aim to address these inequities, promoting sustainable community health and economic resilience.
4. Investment in Youth Education: Recognizing the next generation’s role in a sustainable future, Harris’s policies prioritize education initiatives focused on climate awareness and environmental stewardship, preparing young people to lead on future SDG-related challenges.
5. Support for Renewable Technology Development: Funding for renewable technology research and development. This not only aims to boost the U.S.’s self-sufficiency in energy but also fosters innovation that can be shared internationally, contributing to global climate goals.

Economically, Harris favors using public funds to jumpstart clean energy industries, not only to address climate issues but to create jobs in renewable energy fields that could keep the U.S. competitive in the global economy. Her approach suggests that addressing climate issues and building a stronger economy aren’t mutually exclusive.

The Shared Point

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump hold sharply different stances on sustainable development goals (SDGs) and carbon emissions. However, they both emphasize the importance of energy independence, albeit through very different approaches. Trump advocates for boosting U.S. domestic energy production by expanding fossil fuel usage, loosening regulations on oil, gas, and coal, and potentially withdrawing from the Paris Agreement again. In contrast, Harris supports the Biden administration’s commitment to SDGs, promoting substantial investments in carbon reduction, incentives for electric vehicles, and a transition to renewable energy sources, with the goal of achieving a net-zero electricity grid.

In Closing: Two Different Paths for the Future

As we consider what a Trump presidency might mean for climate action, the differences between him and Harris (and, by extension, Biden) become clear. Trump is all about reducing regulations and supporting traditional energy sources to drive economic growth. Harris is focused on the long-term benefits of climate action, advocating for a future where clean energy creates jobs and a more sustainable economy.

Moreover, the voluntary carbon market could still expand under either administration, as it’s fueled by private sector demand rather than government mandates. Even if Trump repeals clean energy tax credits, many companies remain committed to their own carbon-neutral goals and will likely continue purchasing carbon offsets to meet these standards. This ongoing private demand helps sustain market growth, largely independent of federal incentives.

What we need is to understand each candidate’s policies and make an informed vote. But regardless of who becomes president, we must all contribute to a cleaner world. Carbon Credit is also one way to make a difference by your hand. Let’s get involved!