Political Climate
The 2015 Paris Climate Conference’s significance lies not only in its resolution, but within the 40,000 delegates from 195 countries who understand its purpose. The global community has finally acknowledged the consensus of the scientific community: climate change is man-made and governments must reverse the trend.
The Earth’s temperature has risen ever since 1880, 10 years into the Second Industrial Revolution. Also known as the technological revolution, levels of industry and production increased exponentially. Since that time, warming levels have only increased.
According to NASA, “Most of this warming has occurred since the 1970s, with the 20 warmest years having occurred since 1981 and with all 10 of the warmest years occurring in the past 12 years.”
Other indicators of global warming include melting glaciers and rising sea levels, rising ocean temperatures, shrinking ice sheets, glacial retreat, extreme events, ocean acidification, and decreased snow cover.
The Republican Party: The two front-runners of the Republican party, Trump and Cruz, do not share the views that the Republican Party’s platform does regarding the environment. The party favors environmental laws and regulations that benefit economic development, job creation, and American prosperity.
Ted Cruz: Senator of Texas
His view:
“In August, he accused climate scientists of ‘cooking the books’ and later told Glenn Beck that at this point climate change activists resemble a ‘religion,’” said Tim McDonnell, writer for Mother Jones.
His record:
Deliberate misinformation:
“The satellites that actually measure the temperature, that we’ve launched into the air to measure the temperature, they have recorded no significant warming whatsoever for the last 18 years,” said Cruz in New Hampshire.
Cruz misused data from El Nino, which is a large-scale interaction between climate and the atmosphere that leads to warmer sea surface temperatures.
Rejected the cap and trade act
Cruz signed the Cruz signed the Contract From America, which states that “cap-and-trade has no impact on global temperatures.”
(If you don’t know what cap-and-trade is, check out Clinton’s record).
Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP
The official No Climate Tax Pledge is: “I pledge to the taxpayers of my state, and to the American people, that I will oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue.”
AFP favors limiting the size of government, believing that it is too intrusive. In creating this pledge, they want to promote individual productivity and prosperity.
His plan: “I will end regulations such as the EPA’s Waters of the U.S. rule and foster economic growth by restoring authority to the states. I will end the backlog of maintenance of our national parks.”
Note that the EPA aims to protect human health and the environment.
His view:
“The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive,” Trump tweeted.
His record:
Opposition to renewable energy sources
Trump is opposed to wind turbines, as he sees them as a “environmental and aesthetic problem,” he said on PBS News Hour.
Partnered with environmentalists when undertaking projects
In 2006, Trump experienced a backlash from Scottish environmentalists once he found a land link to build a golf course. “We worked with the Scottish National Heritage, and it became clear to them that I am environmentally sensitive. I also hired the leading expert on geomorphology, for extensive research on the 25 acres of sand dunes on this land,” said Trump.
Supports use of fossil fuels
Trump supports the gas, oil, and coal industries in addition to the Keystone XL pipeline.
The pipeline is harmful to the environment. “Oil from the oil sands emit 17% more carbon dioxide than the average barrel of crude refined in the United States, according to the State Department” said Steve Hargreaves of CNN.
His plan:
In an interview, Trump said that he would cut the EPA in cutting departments. “What they [EPA] do is a disgrace. Every week they come out with new regulations,” said Trump.
Trump implied that business was more important than restoring the environment:“We’ll be fine with the environment. We can leave a little bit, but you can’t destroy businesses,” said Trump.
The Democratic Party: The Democratic Party wants the United States to have a strong role within the global community to combat climate change. The party strives to reduce carbon emissions through regulations and market solutions.
Her view:
“We need to take bold action to combat climate change,
create jobs, protect the health of American families and communities, and make the United States the world’s clean energy superpower,”said Clinton on her campaign page.
Her record:
Advocates a cap and trade system
“I want to use some of it to cushion the costs that will come on to the US consumer. It’s not just enough to tackle global warming,we’ve got to enlist the help of the next generation,” she said in a DNC debate in 2007.
The Environmental Protection agency defines cap-and-trade as a policy approach for “controlling large amounts of emissions from a group of sources. The approach first sets an overall cap, or maximum amount of emissions per compliance period, for all sources under the program. The cap is chosen in order to achieve a desired environmental effect.”
Stands for clean air and funding the EPA
The purpose of the EPA is to “protect human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws
passed by Congress,” according to the EPA.
Partial support of fracking
During the debate in Michigan on March 8, Clinton listed stipulations to which she would support fracking.
Fracking has economic benefits but can also harm the environment.
Her plan:
Hillary will make it a top priority to “reduce carbon pollution, increase deployment of renewable energy, and build a clean energy future,” said Clinton on her campaign page.
Renewable Energy: Clinton aims to generate enough renewable energy to power every home in America by 2027.
A way that she plans to do this is by launching a Clean Energy Challenge to form partnerships with rural communities, cities, and states across the nation.
If elected, she will install 500 million solar panels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Infrastructure: Clinton plans to modernize the nation’s pipeline system and increase rail safety.
His view:
“If we do nothing, the planet will heat up five to ten degrees Fahrenheit by the end of this century. That would cause enough sea level rise from melting glaciers to put cities underwater – along with more frequent asthma attacks, higher food prices, insufficient drinking water, and more infectious diseases,” said Sanders on his campaign website.
His record:
Voted yes on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lake Ecosystems
This amendment, which was passed in the Senate, provides funding to universities, nonprofits, and government agencies to support research and restoration projects.
Congressional leader in opposing Keystone XL pipeline
The pipeline would have increased carbon pollution, hurt the economy, harmed the environment and native communities, etc.
Sponsored the End Polluter Welfare Act
This act aims to end giveaways to oil, gas, and coal companies funded by taxpayers and to instead save them over $135 billion over ten years.
His plan:
Renewable Energy
Sanders wants to move towards more energy efficient sources.
Reduce U.S. carbon pollution
The issue of renewable energy returns in order to reduce carbon pollution. Sanders aims to reduce carbon pollution by 40 percent by 2030. By 2050, he hopes to reduce it to over 80 percent by putting a tax on carbon pollution.
Clean-Energy Workforce
This plan will create 10 million jobs while moving away from the use of nuclear energy for electricity, transportation, and heating. Benefits of this include reducing American reliance on foreign oil and cleaning up the air and water.
Ban fossil fuel lobbyists from working in the White House
“Executives and lobbyists for coal, oil, and gas companies have blocked every attempt to make progress on climate change, and thrown unprecedented amounts of money at elected officials to buy their loyalty,” said Sanders on his campaign website.
The effects of climate change include rising temperatures, lengthening frost-free and growing seasons, changes in precipitation patterns, more droughts and heat waves, stronger hurricanes, sea levels that can rise anywhere from 1-4 feet by 2100, and an ice-free Arctic.
The majority of the world’s leaders and scientists aim to reverse the effects of global warming as soon as possible. The risks are too great to do otherwise.
In the general election, please make an informed decision in voting for a candidate who is dedicated to preserving the planet.