Trump’s Climate Denialism vs. Reality
Although he made headlines in most of the prominent media with comments regarding the malfunction of the United Nations, the failure of the escalator and his role as a peacemaker of the world (he ended with seven wars), the statements Donald Trump made about climate change on Sept. 23 before the U.N. General Assembly deserve to be highlighted.
In a speech full of completely false statements — far from what is held by the most prestigious scientists in the United States and the rest of the world — Trump flatly denied that global warming exists. He disparaged renewable energies and once again defended the strategy of achieving economic growth through the exploitation and use of hydrocarbons.
Now, Trump stopped short of saying that climate change was a Chinese invention, but he did call it the “greatest con job ever perpetuated.” And in reference to those who seek to rein in the increase in temperatures because of the resulting damage, Trump warned, "If you do not move away from this green scam, your country will fail."
Meanwhile, there are heat waves higher than ever recorded, even in the U.S., and the hurricanes and floods accompanying this increase are more intense and destructive. Several island countries (Malawi and Palau, for example) have severe problems: the rising sea level is advancing toward the mainland.
In his rant, Trump assaulted the reports of scientists who work in coordination with the U.N. — notably, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world's largest climate science agency.
He said, “Their predictions and those of many other specialist groups are often made for wrong, wrong reasons.” And that they were made by "stupid people,” claiming they cost their countries fortunes and had not given those same countries any chance of success.
During his first administration, he criticized scientists and organizations that measure climate behavior in his country and the rest of the world. He has described as “unnecessary” those policies that seek a transition to green energy, such as wind and solar. He described the former as a "pathetic joke," and assured that together with the latter, "they don't work, they are too expensive and weak." He recently removed support from programs to advance those fields.
However, and despite the well-founded criticism that green energy receives, solar and wind are less expensive and more expedient options for generating electricity, as documented in the International Renewable Energy Agency’s report published last July by the U.N.
Additionally, the president failed to disclose that subsidies granted by his government — in connivance with the Republican Party — artificially maintain the viability of fossil fuels. Trump's support for corporations that exploit hydrocarbons is obvious: They are his economic and political support.
Trump falsely claimed that European electricity bills are now "two or three times higher than those of the United States, where they are falling a lot." It is actually the opposite, as when he attacked the U.N.’s climate efforts, saying that he withdrew the United States from the "false" Paris climate agreement because "it was "costing us trillions of dollars that other countries were not paying.” But our neighbor has been the largest generator of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. It produces 24%, while all of Africa, with four times more population, produces barely 3%.
Trump wants to ignore the reality his own country is experiencing: increasingly extreme temperatures and colder winters than earlier recorded. Right now, the Midwest is facing a heat wave between 8 and as much as 17 degrees above normal for autumn. In addition, during the last few years, the agencies that measure temperatures show that the great power has much hotter summers and longer and more extreme winters.
As with many other issues, Trump wants to impose his views on global warming. Reality tears them to shreds every day.
In a speech full of completely false statements — far from what is held by the most prestigious scientists in the United States and the rest of the world — Trump flatly denied that global warming exists. He disparaged renewable energies and once again defended the strategy of achieving economic growth through the exploitation and use of hydrocarbons.
Now, Trump stopped short of saying that climate change was a Chinese invention, but he did call it the “greatest con job ever perpetuated.” And in reference to those who seek to rein in the increase in temperatures because of the resulting damage, Trump warned, "If you do not move away from this green scam, your country will fail."
Meanwhile, there are heat waves higher than ever recorded, even in the U.S., and the hurricanes and floods accompanying this increase are more intense and destructive. Several island countries (Malawi and Palau, for example) have severe problems: the rising sea level is advancing toward the mainland.
In his rant, Trump assaulted the reports of scientists who work in coordination with the U.N. — notably, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world's largest climate science agency.
He said, “Their predictions and those of many other specialist groups are often made for wrong, wrong reasons.” And that they were made by "stupid people,” claiming they cost their countries fortunes and had not given those same countries any chance of success.
During his first administration, he criticized scientists and organizations that measure climate behavior in his country and the rest of the world. He has described as “unnecessary” those policies that seek a transition to green energy, such as wind and solar. He described the former as a "pathetic joke," and assured that together with the latter, "they don't work, they are too expensive and weak." He recently removed support from programs to advance those fields.
However, and despite the well-founded criticism that green energy receives, solar and wind are less expensive and more expedient options for generating electricity, as documented in the International Renewable Energy Agency’s report published last July by the U.N.
Additionally, the president failed to disclose that subsidies granted by his government — in connivance with the Republican Party — artificially maintain the viability of fossil fuels. Trump's support for corporations that exploit hydrocarbons is obvious: They are his economic and political support.
Trump falsely claimed that European electricity bills are now "two or three times higher than those of the United States, where they are falling a lot." It is actually the opposite, as when he attacked the U.N.’s climate efforts, saying that he withdrew the United States from the "false" Paris climate agreement because "it was "costing us trillions of dollars that other countries were not paying.” But our neighbor has been the largest generator of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. It produces 24%, while all of Africa, with four times more population, produces barely 3%.
Trump wants to ignore the reality his own country is experiencing: increasingly extreme temperatures and colder winters than earlier recorded. Right now, the Midwest is facing a heat wave between 8 and as much as 17 degrees above normal for autumn. In addition, during the last few years, the agencies that measure temperatures show that the great power has much hotter summers and longer and more extreme winters.
As with many other issues, Trump wants to impose his views on global warming. Reality tears them to shreds every day.
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