Trump's Advancements in Climate Action Stagnating - Quantifying the Degree of Retardation
The current state of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts is facing significant challenges, according to a July 2024 report from the research firm Rhodium Group.
Under the Biden administration, the U.S. was on track to cut emissions 38-56% by 2035. However, the rapid reversal of progress during the Trump administration demonstrates that a rapid change of trajectory could happen again under a new administration.
The Trump administration and the GOP-controlled Congress have essentially repealed the Inflation Reduction Act and other environmental protections, such as limits on vehicle emissions. This reversal has undone the energy-transition progress made by the Biden administration.
The Inflation Reduction Act, signed by President Joe Biden three years ago, created tax incentives for renewables, home-energy upgrades, and electric vehicles, as well as grant and loan programs to accelerate industries away from fossil fuel use.
The repeals have not only impacted the U.S. decarbonization strategy but have also eliminated measures aimed at reducing harmful air pollution. As a result, the U.S. is estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 26-35% below 2005 levels by 2030, according to Rhodium Group. This reduction is less than the forecast under the Biden administration.
President Donald Trump has been derailing U.S. efforts to cut planet-warming emissions since his return to the White House. Trump abandoned the Paris Agreement on his first day back in office, and his administration has repealed a host of other environmental protections that would have helped rein in greenhouse gases.
The worst-case scenario under Biden's administration last year was still better than the best-case scenario following Trump's return to office. The U.S. is still likely to miss its 2030 Paris Agreement commitment due to the repeals and the GOP's actions.
The current president of the United States as of January 20, 2025, is Donald Trump, whose second term began that day. The state of U.S. climate change and environmental policies during this term has been marked by a slower reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the forecast under the Biden administration.
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