environmentalists across the nation, already concerned for the state of our environment, are alarmed by the prospective environmental policies of the incoming administration, as reported broadly in the media.

president-elect donald trump will serve his second term in office, starting jan. 20. his past statements and actions when handling the environment are a cause for concern among many who anticipate poor handling of climate change and sustainability issues. 

why it matters: trump has repeatedly guaranteed that on his first day in office, saying he will expand oil and gas drilling across the nation.

according to the wilderness society, the process of drilling and expanding oil companies will worsen the current climate crisis and will continue to greatly harm minority communities impacted by pollution.

follow the money. astin cole, ph.d., professor of political science at tuskegee university, says that, “voters’ first step to ensuring that the president is environmentally friendly is to look at funding.” by looking at who donates to the candidates during the election cycle for example, can greatly indicate what that candidate believes about that topic, according to cole. 

• one of trump’s biggest backers is kelcy warren, ceo of energy transfer partners, an oil and natural gas company and owner of the dakota access pipeline. 
• warren donated $5.8 million to organizations supporting trump’s reelection.

looking back. previously, while trump was serving his first term, his administration withdrew or lessened many already established policies and agreements intended to help the environment.

• on june 19, 2019, trump’s epa replaced a clean air regulatory plan with a weaker set of policies known as the affordable clean energy rule.
• on aug. 3, 2020, trump’s epa rescinded obama-era regulations on methane emissions for oil and natural gas companies. 

zooming in. according to cole, “progressive environmental policies” are typically associated with the democratic party, and policies involving “reductions in environmental regulations” to the republican party. agenda 47 is the trump campaign policy platform, outlining priorities of the incoming administration. the document includes several ways the administration plans to decrease regulations including:

• ending market-distorting restrictions on oil, natural gas, and coal.
• slash inflation by unleashing energy production from all sources.
• (terminating) the socialist green new deal.

note: the green new deal resolution introduced by rep. alexandria ocasio-cortez and sen. ed markey in 2019 never passed the senate.

zooming out. the results of the 2024 presidential election are likely to bring huge shifts in environmental policy. environmental regulations affect so many u.s. citizens, regardless of class systems, race, or political affiliation. this comes in the form of cleaner air in your community, or rebates on environmentally friendly appliances or cars, making them more accessible and affordable, to name a few.

when asked what he would like to see in the future, cole said he’d like to see people participating in “microgrants, provided by philanthropic foundations” that help clean communities or educate those interested.

and, with big policy changes on the horizon, cole sees a need now more than ever for on-the-ground community organizing:  

“(we need) more volunteerism in local areas related to raising awareness of ways that an average citizen can get involved with improving their environment.”