Is Trump Putting America First?

In California, this year’s wildfire season has set a record for the most destructive season in the state’s history, with 7,579 fires that have burned a total area of about 1,667,855 acres. These fires will only worsen as the years progress due to climate change. Despite this, President Donald Trump still denies the studies of several climate scientists and continues to refer to climate change as a “hoax.”

Because climate change damages the environment and the American economy in general, President Trump needs to address the problem of climate change in a serious tone.

From the north and south poles to the entirety of Earth’s atmosphere, climate change has taken its toll on the Earth’s environment. Professors at Stanford University have stated that “what we’re seeing over the last few years in terms of the wildfire season in California [is] very consistent with the historical trends in terms of increasing temperatures, increasing dryness, and increasing wildfire risk.” If President Trump does not take action to limit these problems, it could mean the death of several natural habitats and many of the wildlife that lives within these areas. To make it worse, the burning of all these trees throughout California could lead to worse conditions as the smoke and debris spread across the state. However, President Trump has ignored these studies and even stated that he “didn’t believe them.” Last August, the state experienced an increase in air pollutants, which may partially be to blame for the intensity of these wildfires. People have lost their homes and, for some, even their lives. As these effects of climate change spread, it seems to choke down on the lifespan of the very earth we live on.

Trump has repeatedly denied certain trends in other countries’ governments that have attempted to address climate change; he resigned the United States from the Paris Agreements. When questioned on his reason for leaving the agreement, he stated that “compliance with the terms of the Paris Accord…could cost America as much as 2.7 million lost jobs by 2025, according to the National Economic Research Associates.” However, Trump fails to account for two things. The Paris Agreements cannot force a country to do anything concerning their economic centers, even in the Fossil Fuel industry (they can only suggest it.) Trump also fails to account for the ever-growing renewable energy sector in America, which has started to surpass the industry of coal mining as far as jobs are concerned. If that wasn’t enough, the loss to American jobs, according to economic analysts, would only loosen the american GDP by 5% over the course of five years. However, Trump only sees one issue when looking at the issue of climate change: money.

President Donald Trump must address the numerous studies his own committee has collected in order to help the United States and especially the state of California through the oncoming threat of climate change. While one might argue that people could lose their jobs in the process, there are plenty of upcoming jobs in the renewable energy sector. Also, no job should come at the cost of lives.