It is easy to be overwhelmed by despair at the environmental desolation caused by this administration, but we must also remember that in the years before Trump we saw a wide range of wildlife success stories. During this time we made significant progress on a number of environmental fronts including asbestos, acid rain, DDT, open-air nuclear tests, endangered species, toxic waste, waste recycling, leaded gasoline, ozone, pollution, mercury emissions and SLCPs.
A look at what we achieved seven years ago stands out in stark contrast to the events of recent years, but it also shows what can be done. In 2013 a solid majority of Americans accepted the reality of global warming and called for climate action. President Barack Obama launched the most ambitious government wide climate action plan in the history of the nation. The U.S. joined the U.K. and the World Bank to limit financing of coal power plants and the EPA issued new standards to reduce emissions from U.S. power plants.
In 2013 we saw federal leadership. President Obama designated 5 new national monuments. The federal government protected wilderness areas including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and they supported land and animal stewardship of native people. The Department of the Interior issued a final management plan to protect 11 million acres of "Special Areas" from oil and gas drilling including sensitive areas in Alaska. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced a strategic plan to clean up more than 130 abandoned oil and gas well sites. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services in Denver crushed six tons of illegal elephant ivory tusks. President Obama is took steps to address wildlife crime around the world including poaching and trafficking. Yosemite National Park was removed from a logging bill and the Washington state legislature passed a bill that protects 50,000 acres of land in the Teanaway River Valley.
In 2013 we saw results from global efforts to reign in chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and an agreement to end the use of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). We also saw the business community take steps to be more sustainable. The number of companies involved in the WWF’s Global Forest & Trade Network hit 200 worldwide and Coca-Cola renewed an agreement with the WWF to conserve the world’s freshwater resources and measurably improve their environmental performance. Responsible forest management and trade practices were adopted by International Paper and Royal Dutch Shell shelved a plan to drill for oil and gas in Alaska's Beaufort and Chukchi seas.
In 2013 we also saw major strides in renewable energy across the country. The American Electric Power company announced it would add enough wind energy to power 200,000 homes in Oklahoma while providing substantial savings to customers. In Colorado, Governor John Hickenlooper signed into law legislation that doubled the state’s renewable energy standard. Minnesota passed legislation to massively increase the state’s solar electricity production and Nebraska passed progressive wind energy legislation. Nevada passed legislation to end the state's reliance on coal and expand local clean energy development. California’s solar industry reached a major milestone with more than 150,000 homes and businesses with rooftop solar installations. The Long Island Power Authority announced that it was investing in almost 300 MW of renewable energy. New York City announced that it was turning a landfill into a 10 MW solar project in Staten Island. Maryland moved forward with clean energy legislation and Prince George’s County Council voted to require renewable energy in all new and renovated governmental facilities. Environmental groups even partnered with Georgia’s Tea Party to create the Green Tea Coalition which called for the retirement of coal plants and the addition of solar power.
Even under the current administration we have seen some hopeful signs. We saw more than 100 environmental success stories in 2019 and in 2018 we saw a wave of conservation successes.. The courts have contained Trump's fossil fuel agenda including shutting down two major pipelines (the Dakota Access and the Keystone XL). We are seeing massive fossil fuel divestment as the entire industry declines. Despite the massive job losses in the energy sector, clean energy is poised to be the primary source of power in the coming years. An increasing number of Americans support climate action and we are also seeing growing support for a green new deal. Investors have demonstrated that concern for people and the planet can also be profitable.
Despite the terrible toll taken by the coronavirus, even this deadly plague has an upside. This virus has driven down emissions and buoyed hope for climate action. It has changed the way we work and augured a resurgence of interest in science. COVID-19 is also helping renewable energy, expediting the demise of fossil fuels. and providing an impetus to build resilience into our supply chains.
We are in the midst of transformative change. The shift has been underway for some time now but it began in earnest in 2019. The strong support for BLM protests suggest that Americans are more serious than ever about arresting systemic racism and environmental injustice.
We are faced with failed federal leadership, an out of control pandemic, environmental degradation and a climate emergency. However, upheavals like the one we are seeing are almost always harbingers of change. From darkness emerges light. Just as the economic collapse may augur a better world we may find that this darkness may very well give birth to a paradigm change that will augur a spiritual and cultural transformation.
We are faced with a stark choice, we can either avail ourselves of this opportunity to change or we can try to return to business as usual. If we are to change we need the courage to hope that we can learn to live in harmony with nature. We have seen an example of selfless leadership from Greta Thunberg whose warnings have galvanized a global movement. As Greta has said, hope comes from action. Trump's pessimal presidency can be a catalyst for action the likes of which the world has never seen. It starts with voting for change.
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