What Trump’s Executive Orders Could Mean for Sustainability

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US President Donald Trump
Global reaction as new US President Donald Trump signs numerous executive orders – including to end the Green New Deal and pull out of the Paris Agreement

As promised, US President Donald Trump used day one of his presidency to issue a flurry of executive orders.

Executive orders carry the weight of law, but can be overturned by subsequent presidents or the courts.

They included declaring a national emergency at the southern border, “preventing government censorship”, pardoning 1,600 people involved in the march on the Capitol in 2021 and declaring that the US will only recognise two sexes, male and female.

Many business leaders went on the record to welcome the new President.

Andrew Flanagan, CEO RWE Clean Energy, said: “Today marks the beginning of a new term for President Trump. We at RWE Clean Energy look forward to working with the new administration to shape a great future for our country.

“As America looks to the future under a new administration, the need to power our nation with reliable, homegrown energy has never been greater. Our company stands ready to help deploy energy generation across the country to meet our nation’s growing energy demand.”

Some of the most controversial executive orders related to climate. Here is a list of the main climate-related orders – along with some reaction from executives.

Paris

Pull out of the Paris agreement (again)

One of the real headline grabbers was President Trump’s decision to sign off on pulling the US out of the Paris climate agreement - the landmark international deal designed to limit rising global temperatures.

Trump first withdrew from the Paris accord in 2017, before then-President Joe Biden re-entered it in 2021.

Along with signing off on exiting the deal, Trump also signed a letter that will be sent to the United Nations explaining the withdrawal.

Alaska

National energy emergency

Trump also declared a national energy emergency – but not focused on the need for clean energy.

Instead, he pledged to fill up strategic oil reserves – vowing "drill, baby, drill" for more American fossil fuels.

He signed an executive order titled "unleashing Alaska's extraordinary resource potential", which deals with oil and gas and other natural resources.

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Ending Green New Deal

As part of an executive order on energy, Trump halted the green new deal.

The ‘deal’ was a collection of Biden administration measures that were aimed at boosting green jobs, regulating the fossil fuel industry and limiting pollution.

Trump ordered agencies to halt funds appropriated through two laws, the Inflation Reduction Act and another law on infrastructure and jobs.

He also said the US would end leasing to wind farms and revoke what he has called an electric vehicle "mandate".

Jennifer Morris, CEO of The Nature Conservancy

Defiance and disappointment

Among those reacting to the executive orders, there was plenty of disappointment, but also defiance and an attitude that agreements outlast presidencies.

Jennifer Morris, CEO of The Nature Conservancy, said: “Science is our guidepost. That is why we will continue to honour the Paris Agreement goals and will help the US do its part.

“We have years not decades and the warmer the temperature gets, the more immense the consequences.

“The US is the world's largest historical greenhouse gas emitter and has a critical role to play. The world needs the US to be a leader on climate.”

Andreas Rasche, Professor and Associate Dean at Copenhagen Business School

Andreas Rasche, Professor and Associate Dean at Copenhagen Business School, said: “Before signing the EO, Trump said: ‘I'm immediately withdrawing from the unfair, one-sided Paris climate accord rip-off’.

“What he forgets: climate change does not care whether he thinks this agreement is a rip-off - climate change is basic physics and it will continue.”

He added: “The EO argued that such agreements ‘do not reflect our country’s values’ and that they also do not reflect the ‘pursuit of economic and environmental objectives’.

“Hopefully, Americans will remember these statements when more frequent and intense extreme weather events (hurricanes, wildfires) occur and create enormous economic costs.”

Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, said: “The global clean energy boom - worth US$2tn last year alone and rising fast – is the economic growth deal of the decade.

“Embracing it will mean massive profits, millions of manufacturing jobs and clean air.

“Ignoring it only sends all that vast wealth to competitor economies, while climate disasters like droughts, wildfires and superstorms keep getting worse, destroying property and businesses, hitting nation-wide food production, and driving economy-wide price inflation.

“The door remains open to the Paris Agreement, and we welcome constructive engagement from any and all countries.”


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