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Trump’s energy policies ignore the urgent lessons of the California fires

EXPERT COMMENT

The fires showed US vulnerability to severe climate events – and the need to prioritize financing for climate resilient infrastructure, regulation of construction, and funding of emergency services.

On his first day back in office, Donald Trump signed executive orders to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accords and revoked a host of other climate policies that were implemented by the Biden administration. These moves deepen vulnerabilities for communities worldwide – and for a United States that itself is unprepared for the challenges ahead. 

The escalating impacts of climate change, such as the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, are stark reminders that the impacts of extreme weather events transcend political and social boundaries. Yet, in the face of these shared threats, politicizing climate action and perpetuating climate denial continue to distract from the urgent challenges posed by a world that surpassed the 1.5°C warming threshold in 2024, the hottest year on record. 

Under the rallying cry of ‘drill, baby, drill,’ Donald Trump signed additional executive orders declaring a ‘national energy emergency’ aimed at expanding oil and gas drilling in Alaska, halting new offshore wind projects in federal waters, and ‘Unleashing American Energy’. 

These day one actions ignore an uncomfortable truth: not only is climate change accelerating faster than anticipated, but the US is highly vulnerable and unprepared for the consequences.

Click here to continue reading the full version of this Expert Comment on the Chatham House website.

 

Channel website: https://www.chathamhouse.org/

Original article link: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2025/01/trumps-energy-policies-ignore-urgent-lessons-california-fires

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