Prof. Wim Thiery (VUB): Trump's measures will have a global and visible impact on the climate

Prof. Wim Thiery (VUB): Trump's measures will have a global and visible impact on the climate

Story image

The election of Donald Trump as President of the United States will, according to VUB climate scientist Wim Thiery, have harmful consequences for climate change. The U.S. is withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, will no longer focus on the production of electric cars, and is once again allowing extensive oil and gas extraction. The American climate platform Carbon Brief has calculated that, as a result, an additional four billion tons of carbon dioxide will be released into the atmosphere by 2030 compared to the continuation of former President Joe Biden’s plans.

"The consequences of these decisions are significant," says Thiery. "The U.S. is already severely affected by climate change, with rising sea levels threatening its coasts, more intense hurricanes, and an increasing number of wildfires, as evidenced by the recent fires in Los Angeles. A VUB study calculated that the area affected by these wildfires has already increased by 42% in recent years. And the affected land area will continue to grow in the coming years."

In the run-up to the November 5 elections, Trump repeatedly attacked Biden's climate policies and climate science. His slogan was "drill, baby, drill." He also announced his intention to end spending on what he calls the "Green New Deal." On his first day in office, he immediately put words into action by overturning a series of climate measures introduced by the Biden administration.

"These decisions have a dual effect," explains Thiery. "The U.S. will extract and consume more gas and oil, with less fuel-efficient cars and an industry that will invest less in lowering CO₂ emissions. This goes hand in hand with less ambitious plans to reduce emissions. Moreover, on an international level, reaching climate agreements will become significantly more difficult now that one of the biggest players is turning its back on climate negotiations. Together, these two factors will not only have climate consequences in America but also affect us and the rest of the world."

According to Thiery, due to the official exit protocol, it will now take a year before Trump can formally withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement. "All in all, as climate scientists, we unfortunately expect a visible effect," he concludes.

More information:
​Wim.Thiery@vub.be

 


Frans Steenhoudt
Frans Steenhoudt Perscontact wetenschap en onderzoek

 

WE
About Press - Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Vrije Universiteit Brussel is an internationally oriented university in Brussels, the heart of Europe. By providing excellent research and education on a human scale, VUB wants to make an active and committed contribution to a better society.

The World Needs You

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel assumes its scientific and social responsibility with love and decisiveness. That’s why VUB launched the platform De Wereld Heeft Je Nodig – The World Needs You, which brings together ideas, actions and projects based on six Ps. The first P stands for People, because that’s what it’s all about: giving people equal opportunities, prosperity, welfare, respect. Peace is about fighting injustice, big and small, in the world. Prosperity combats poverty and inequality. Planet stands for actions on biodiversity, climate, air quality, animal rights... With Partnership, VUB is looking for joint actions to make the world a better place. The sixth and last P is for Poincaré, the French philosopher Henri Poincaré, from whom VUB derives its motto that thinking should submit to nothing except the facts themselves. VUB is an ‘urban engaged university’, strongly anchored in Brussels and Europe and working according to the principles of free research.

www.vub.be/dewereldheeftjenodig

 


Press - Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Pleinlaan 2
1050 Brussel