By Ashley Joseph

In his reelection bid, President Trump is doubling down on his accomplishments, engaging in tough rhetoric, and touting his future plans. His opponent, Joe Biden, is standing firm in his decision to reverse Trump’s policies, and is planning ambitious goals for a cleaner environment.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden differ sharply on numerous environmental issues - and that means the election stakes are high for the United States. It is time to analyze Trump’s and Biden’s stance on climate change, environmental policies, and ocean exploration, to decide which candidate can accomplish their ambitious promises.

Climate change - a hot topic over the years - continues to pose an existential threat. Joe Biden plans to address this issue by outlining the Clean Energy Revolution. Under Biden’s plan, the U.S. will strive to attain a 100% clean energy economy and zero emissions by 2050, integrate climate change into foreign policy discussions, take action against polluters who disproportionately harm low-income communities, establish a government strategy to encourage renewable energy exports, and ensure support for workers and communities who are working through the changes. A National Intelligence Estimate will be created to evaluate the risks faced by climate change to national and economic security, and to establish a government strategy to encourage renewable energy exports (Moore, 2020).

With President Trump backing out of the Paris Agreement, a landmark agreement set to combat climate change by negotiating more sustainable guidelines, he seemingly a laissez-faire approach to climate change. The lack of discussion around climate change was observed throughout his term. The outright denial of the scientific consensus on climate change and its harmful impacts, the reversal of climate policies announced during the Obama administration, and the removal of mentions of climate change from government websites, has forced Americans to contemplate the Trump administration rendering climate change as inconsequential.

On the issue of pollution, Trump has prioritized water quality around the world throughout his presidency. Safe drinking water, plastic pollution, and litter in the bodies of water, are regarded as "the largest and most immediate environmental and public health issues affecting the world right now," according to Andrew Wheeler, chief of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, the “priority” has been questioned with the weakening of several regulations aimed at protecting water. For example, the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, also called the “Dirty Water Rule” was finalized by the Trump administration in January 2020. This significantly reduced the number of waterways that were protected by the Clean Water Act. On the other hand, Joe Biden plans to strengthen pollution laws to reduce the disproportionate impact on low-income communities of color. Another Biden objective is the establishment of an environmental justice division within the Department of Justice, which would support litigation and increased enforcement against polluters, and the limiting of the concentration of polluting industries in communities of color. With increased efficiency for lead testing in drinking water, the addition of more toxic chemicals being declared hazardous, and greater support for phasing out single-use plastic, Biden has stated that he expects the fastest improvements to air and water quality under his Administration (Welch & Gibbens, 2020).

When taking renewables or clean energy into account, Trump offered assistance to the oil and gas industry during the pandemic. This aid was not mirrored for the solar and wind companies, requiring them to pay back rent for public land. Furthermore, Trump disregarded Obama’s “Clean Power Rule,” an Obama administration policy aimed at combating global warming by assigning individual goals aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, and encourage development of solar and wind power. The dissension was emphasized when the Trump Administration placed tariffs of as much as 30% on imported solar modules, slowing market growth (Welch & Gibbens, 2020). In the biggest blow he’s dealt to the renewable energy industry yet, Trump ended solar tax credits, and fewer green energy projects have been approved. The administration has called for the tax incentives for electric vehicles to be terminated, undermining the economics of renewable energy. Moreover, Trump also gutted proposed increases in fuel-economy standards for cars and small trucks.

Contrarily, Biden has vowed to increase strict fuel efficiency standards with the hopes of electric appliances gaining a major footing. The new energy efficiency standards would be the standard of the remodeling of at least four million buildings. With the introduction of incentives, the regulations could allow for more affordable development near public transit, bringing Biden one step closer to his goal of cutting building emissions in half by 2035. Critics question how Biden’s plan would change America after Trump’s big oil presidency with a renewed emphasis on climate change policy. The unnerved oil executives predict the U.S. descent would be accelerated as investors shift toward lower-carbon alternative energy resources in response to government policies. Still others view the ambitious goal of cutting emissions in half by 2035 as unattainable and unrealistic.

Ocean exploration, understanding our oceans and coastlines, and further mapping of the ocean floor, has been a top priority for Donald Trump. In particular, the mapping of the States Exclusive Economic Zone (U.S. EEZ), a boundary surrounding the U.S. that allows countries to regulate natural resources such as minerals and energy within the boundary. In November 2019, President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to map and explore the U.S. EEZ, a strategy to map the coast of Alaska, and recommendations to facilitate authorizations for ocean exploration and research (Neumayr & Droegemeier, 2020). The continued development and research of undersea technology is interesting, but what’s the motivation and at what cost to the environment?

Similarly, Joe Biden vows to take exploration beyond the norm, towards new discoveries. Although Joe Biden has not commented much on ocean exploration, his prior work indicates favoring deep-sea projects, ocean mapping, monitoring and systematic observations, and overall oceanographic research.

Now, with added insight into Donald Trump’s and Joe Biden’s stance on the environment, it’s time to vote and to ensure that positive change will be made. Trump’s and Biden’s policies will potentially alter our home and our planet. Make sure to vote because your fully informed decision can lead to a greener tomorrow!

Works Cited

Moore, E. (2020, October 16). Trump's and Biden's Plans for The Environment. Retrieved October 31, 2020, from https://www.npr.org/2020/10/16/920484187/trumps-and-biden-s-plans-for-the-environment

Neumayr, M., & Droegemeier, K. (2020, June 12). The Trump Administration Is Advancing Ocean Exploration. Retrieved October 31, 2020, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/the-trump-administration-is-advancing-ocean-exploration/

Welch, C., & Gibbens, S. (2020, October 21). Trump vs Biden on the environment-here's where they stand. Retrieved October 31, 2020, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/10/trump-vs-biden-environment-heres-where-they-stand/

Presidential Election 2020: Where do Trump and Biden Stand on the Environment?