Following the\nemergence of evidence surrounding the existence of sustained climate change as\na result of human activity, in the 1970\u2019s, there has been a partisan divide\nbetween two main camps; \u201cacceptors\u201d and \u201cdeniers\u201d. Granted, yes there is a\nthird group who fall under the category of \u201csceptics\u201d, however it is more their\napathetic nature towards the environment, opposed to genuine delusion and deep-rooted\nbelief, which serves as a far easier mindset to alter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The idea of climate\nchange being a myth was first popularised by the Chinese Communist Party in the\nmid 1980\u2019s, in which they claimed that Ronald Reagan, and his advisor, Bush Sr.\nfabricated the existence of climate change in order for legislation to be\nenacted upon China, to slow their rapid growth and industrialisation. This\nclaim, however, was later flipped on its head by current president Donald\nTrump. Trump repeatedly vocalises his thoughts on the matter, through his huge\nsocial media presence, that climate change was invented by the Chinese instead,\nopposed to being falsified by that of the US. He claims that China invented it\nfor the same reason Reagan did; to limit industrialisation and to weaken the US\nfoothold in the global economy by damaging huge fossil fuel reliant industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With these\nconspiracies flying back and forth, in combination with fears of China emerging\nas the next global hegemon, it is quite understandable why one may adopt this\nstance on climate change. However, huge amounts of China\u2019s industry are reliant\non fossil fuels and the demand thereof. For example, \u2153 of the world’s C02\nemissions come from the consumption of goods manufactured in China. Thus,\nlegislation on climate change would deplete the demand for these goods, thus\ndamaging the Chinese economy. Moreover, their coal industry is a huge part of\ntheir economy, exporting to the likes of Australia and Russia. Once again,\nfossil fuel related policies would damage the demand for this coal. Equally\nChina\u2019s GDP isn\u2019t that far ahead of the US for them to want to \u201chit the brakes\u201d\non both states progress, particularly because China is yet to modernise to the\npoint of other developed states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This leaves the only\nfeasible option being that Reagan, Bush, and more recently Trump, are genuine\ndeniers of climate change. This serves as a huge threat to our improvement and\nit undermines states efforts to better their ways in the environmental sphere.\nWhy? Well the US are arguably the only global hegemon, and one which accounted\nfor 24% of the world’s C02 emission, in 1990, despite only making up 5% of the\nworld’s population. With the aforementioned statistics rising, the US boasts\nmassive greenhouse gas emissions. Since they\u2019re a liberal democracy and a\nsuperpower, one would assume they\u2019d be leading the way for a greener future,\nbut with Trump at the helm this just isn\u2019t the case. Not only is he a Republican\nand so is subject to special interests surrounding the fossil fuel-based\nindustries, but he appears to be a genuine denier, often using Twitter to\nexpress his views, as I outlined previously. This results in things like the US\npulling out of the 2015 Paris climate change agreement and thus disrupting the\nchance for genuine coordinated efforts in tackling the issues we\u2019re facing.\nTrump seems to negate the fact that global warming doesn\u2019t care for state\nborders, making it an issue for the whole international community. Unless he\nchanges his view, we\u2019re in trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump’s actions have\nalso led to other groups of deniers doubling down on their views, increasing\ntheir already copious apathy to the situation, and they\u2019re strong in number\ntoo. This in combination, with often radical and intrusive, agendas of deep\ngreen associates such as Extinction Rebellion, it\u2019s understandable how one\ncould be put off from making genuine strides to cut down on their personal\ngreenhouse emissions, energy expenditure and water usage. After all, if the\nleader of the free world isn\u2019t worried, why should we be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s attitudes like\nthis that further undermine the efforts of states in this area. Given the\nthreat affects everyone, it needs a coordinated effort to match the severity of\nthe situation. It needs everyone to be on board. Once again, with figureheads\nlike Trump popularising the denial of climate change, the chances of this\nhappening are largely compromised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I understand, Trump\nis a realist. He cares only for the pursuit of the self-interest of the US. And\nit\u2019s easy for a general member of the electorate to get on board with this all-encompassing\nattitude, especially with the promise of a greater America. However, I fail to\nsee how Trump can understand the wider implications of his actions. But does he\ncare? I doubt it. Is it a ploy to appeal to the American franchise? Maybe.\nRegardless of the answers to these questions, as it stands, if Trump is\nunwilling to change his stance on climate change, the world is fighting a\nlosing battle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"