
Former President Donald Trump gestures while delivering a story, during his remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, on Saturday, February 24, 2024.
Planet-Warming Emissions Would Soar If Trump Wins Second Term: Study
New research suggests Trump's plans for another four years in the White House could doom the climate.
Former President Donald Trump returning to the White House would be devastating for the climate, a new analysis shows.
A study released on Wednesday by Carbon Brief looks at Trump's plans for a second term and policies that President Joe Biden has implemented during his time in the White House. When the two are compared, it states that Trump's second term would lead to 4 billion more tons of CO2 being released into the atmosphere by 2030. That's the combined annual emissions of the European Union and Japan.
Trump's plans would be so destructive to the climate because they would roll back Biden's emissions-reduction policies.
"Carbon Brief's analysis is based on an aggregation of modeling by various U.S. research groups. It highlights the significant impact of the Biden administration's climate policies. This includes the Inflation Reduction Act—which Trump has pledged to reverse—along with several other policies," the study says.
🚨BREAKING🚨
Election victory for Trump could add 4bn tonnes to US emissions by 2030 – new @CarbonBrief analysis
🎯US would blow past climate goals
😳would wipe out impact – twice over – from 5yrs of global clean energy growth
🥵would likely end 1.5C hopes
1/… pic.twitter.com/tFqYjIOLdO
— Simon Evans (@DrSimEvans) March 6, 2024
Biden's policies certainly haven't always been climate-friendly—including his approval of the Willow oil project—but the analysis shows how impactful rolling back his positive climate policies would be.
The study claims the additional CO2 that would be emitted due to a second Trump term could lead to approximately $900 billion worth of climate damages. Furthermore, the study might actually be underestimating the damage Trump could do.
"It might understate Trump's impact. For example, his pledge to 'drill, baby, drill' is not included within the analysis and would likely raise U.S. and global emissions further through the increased extraction and burning of oil, gas, and coal," the study says.
The planet would very likely experience a temperature increase beyond 1.5°C, the study says, and quite possibly beyond 2°C.
Many American politicians have noted that Trump returning to the White House would be disastrous for the climate. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted on Wednesday that a second Trump term would mean the world would "lose the fight against climate change." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) issued a similar warning in February.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Former President Donald Trump returning to the White House would be devastating for the climate, a new analysis shows.
A study released on Wednesday by Carbon Brief looks at Trump's plans for a second term and policies that President Joe Biden has implemented during his time in the White House. When the two are compared, it states that Trump's second term would lead to 4 billion more tons of CO2 being released into the atmosphere by 2030. That's the combined annual emissions of the European Union and Japan.
Trump's plans would be so destructive to the climate because they would roll back Biden's emissions-reduction policies.
"Carbon Brief's analysis is based on an aggregation of modeling by various U.S. research groups. It highlights the significant impact of the Biden administration's climate policies. This includes the Inflation Reduction Act—which Trump has pledged to reverse—along with several other policies," the study says.
🚨BREAKING🚨
Election victory for Trump could add 4bn tonnes to US emissions by 2030 – new @CarbonBrief analysis
🎯US would blow past climate goals
😳would wipe out impact – twice over – from 5yrs of global clean energy growth
🥵would likely end 1.5C hopes
1/… pic.twitter.com/tFqYjIOLdO
— Simon Evans (@DrSimEvans) March 6, 2024
Biden's policies certainly haven't always been climate-friendly—including his approval of the Willow oil project—but the analysis shows how impactful rolling back his positive climate policies would be.
The study claims the additional CO2 that would be emitted due to a second Trump term could lead to approximately $900 billion worth of climate damages. Furthermore, the study might actually be underestimating the damage Trump could do.
"It might understate Trump's impact. For example, his pledge to 'drill, baby, drill' is not included within the analysis and would likely raise U.S. and global emissions further through the increased extraction and burning of oil, gas, and coal," the study says.
The planet would very likely experience a temperature increase beyond 1.5°C, the study says, and quite possibly beyond 2°C.
Many American politicians have noted that Trump returning to the White House would be disastrous for the climate. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted on Wednesday that a second Trump term would mean the world would "lose the fight against climate change." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) issued a similar warning in February.
- Opinion | On Climate, Gaza, and Trump 2.0, You Don’t Need 2nd Sight to Realize How Bad It Is | Common Dreams ›
- Opinion | A Vote for Trump Is a Vote for Hell on Earth | Common Dreams ›
- Youth Arrested Demanding VP Debate Question on Climate Emergency | Common Dreams ›
- Opinion | A Second Trump Presidency Would Be a Planetary Disaster | Common Dreams ›
- Opinion | As Always, It’s Up to Us: Questions for a Second Trump Presidency | Common Dreams ›
- Is US House 'Only Hope' for Blocking Worst of Trump's Return? | Common Dreams ›
- Opinion | How Will We Fight This Climate Nightmare? | Common Dreams ›
- 'Ready to Fight' for Climate, Students Walk Out Over Trump | Common Dreams ›
- Critics Warn Trump EPA Pick Zeldin 'Will Make Our Air and Water Dirtier' to Enrich Polluters | Common Dreams ›
- Opinion | The View From Mount Trump | Common Dreams ›
- 'Catastrophic Blow': GOP and Three Democrats Confirm Zeldin for EPA | Common Dreams ›
Former President Donald Trump returning to the White House would be devastating for the climate, a new analysis shows.
A study released on Wednesday by Carbon Brief looks at Trump's plans for a second term and policies that President Joe Biden has implemented during his time in the White House. When the two are compared, it states that Trump's second term would lead to 4 billion more tons of CO2 being released into the atmosphere by 2030. That's the combined annual emissions of the European Union and Japan.
Trump's plans would be so destructive to the climate because they would roll back Biden's emissions-reduction policies.
"Carbon Brief's analysis is based on an aggregation of modeling by various U.S. research groups. It highlights the significant impact of the Biden administration's climate policies. This includes the Inflation Reduction Act—which Trump has pledged to reverse—along with several other policies," the study says.
🚨BREAKING🚨
Election victory for Trump could add 4bn tonnes to US emissions by 2030 – new @CarbonBrief analysis
🎯US would blow past climate goals
😳would wipe out impact – twice over – from 5yrs of global clean energy growth
🥵would likely end 1.5C hopes
1/… pic.twitter.com/tFqYjIOLdO
— Simon Evans (@DrSimEvans) March 6, 2024
Biden's policies certainly haven't always been climate-friendly—including his approval of the Willow oil project—but the analysis shows how impactful rolling back his positive climate policies would be.
The study claims the additional CO2 that would be emitted due to a second Trump term could lead to approximately $900 billion worth of climate damages. Furthermore, the study might actually be underestimating the damage Trump could do.
"It might understate Trump's impact. For example, his pledge to 'drill, baby, drill' is not included within the analysis and would likely raise U.S. and global emissions further through the increased extraction and burning of oil, gas, and coal," the study says.
The planet would very likely experience a temperature increase beyond 1.5°C, the study says, and quite possibly beyond 2°C.
Many American politicians have noted that Trump returning to the White House would be disastrous for the climate. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted on Wednesday that a second Trump term would mean the world would "lose the fight against climate change." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) issued a similar warning in February.
- Opinion | On Climate, Gaza, and Trump 2.0, You Don’t Need 2nd Sight to Realize How Bad It Is | Common Dreams ›
- Opinion | A Vote for Trump Is a Vote for Hell on Earth | Common Dreams ›
- Youth Arrested Demanding VP Debate Question on Climate Emergency | Common Dreams ›
- Opinion | A Second Trump Presidency Would Be a Planetary Disaster | Common Dreams ›
- Opinion | As Always, It’s Up to Us: Questions for a Second Trump Presidency | Common Dreams ›
- Is US House 'Only Hope' for Blocking Worst of Trump's Return? | Common Dreams ›
- Opinion | How Will We Fight This Climate Nightmare? | Common Dreams ›
- 'Ready to Fight' for Climate, Students Walk Out Over Trump | Common Dreams ›
- Critics Warn Trump EPA Pick Zeldin 'Will Make Our Air and Water Dirtier' to Enrich Polluters | Common Dreams ›
- Opinion | The View From Mount Trump | Common Dreams ›
- 'Catastrophic Blow': GOP and Three Democrats Confirm Zeldin for EPA | Common Dreams ›

