1. Politics and Policy

Quick rundown on how biden, trump differ on sustainability

Sam Lausten
Written by Sam Lausten Posted on Less than 0 min read

The 2020 election is just around the corner. 60 days! We already know about Kamala on climate. Where do Biden and Trump stand on sustainability?

The year 2020 AD on Planet Earth has disappointed all of us, but it also has been dynamic and progressive in so many ways. Maybe this year will be remembered as the year we all changed for the better, sustainability included.

No need to fret if it wasn’t the year you envisioned when you were popping bottles on NYE, making those resolutions for a gym that would never be open…. the end of 2020 is approaching and you can make your voice heard by VOTING.

Let’s find out how each presidential candidate approaches sustainability principles.

Busy? Try the speed read.

The scoop The 2020 election is just around the corner. Where do Biden and Trump stand on sustainability?

Biden’s campaign website highlights that he plans to implement the key foundational elements for building a sustainable future –

  • Comprehensive climate plan
  • Addresses inequality
    • Racial equity/environmental justice.
    • Equitable economic opportunities and care for essential workers.
    • Push for healthcare reform

Trump’s campaign focuses on a short-term growth mindset of maximizing existing industries and economic growth.

Innovate, then iterate, less oversight —

Bottom line Biden’s plan for a sustainable future is pretty on point – better/more affordable housing plans, a massive Green Deal, and of course working on racial reform.

Trump’s plan is to “go, go, go!”.

If you want to make a difference on climate, vote with your heart, not your brain.

Dig deeper → >1 min

The scoop on sustainability

Neither Trump nor Biden can be considered champions of environmental policy. In fact, very few presidents of the past were. But most Americans care about climate issues, so it’s important to understand where each candidate stands on sustainability as a whole.

The election is just around the corner; how well do you know your candidate? Make sure you are registered here.

With COVID-19 shaking the world, this is a good time for self-reflection. We have seen global social unrest sparking demands for guaranteed human rights and real equality.

So, with a myriad of problems surfacing during the pandemic…. let’s add sustainability to the list. Where does sustainability fit into the Biden and Trump campaign? Here’s a quick rundown.

Biden’s approach to sustainability

Biden’s website highlights that he plans to implement the key foundational elements for building a sustainable future –

  1. Racial equity, which is essential.
  2. Biden’s climate plan confronts the reality of environmental concerns. He has essential goals in mind that contain sustainable pillars. His plan includes net-zero emissions, new industries and jobs, and societal progression with social and climate justice at the forefront. Here are some quotes from his website:
    • “Ensure the U.S. achieves a 100% clean energy economy and reaches net-zero emissions no later than 2050.“
    • “Rally the rest of the world to meet the threat of climate change.“
    • “Stand up to the abuse of power by polluters who disproportionately harm communities of color and low-income communities.”
  3. Equitable economic opportunities and care for essential workers.
  4. A push for healthcare reform; more affordable, available, and with a focus on broadening mental health services.

Trump‘s approach to sustainability

The Trump campaign focuses on a short-term growth mindset of maximizing existing industries and economic growth.

  1. The Trump Administration has brought a myriad of changes to U.S. environmental policy including but not only – the decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement, slashing federal funding for environmental initiatives, and weakening environmental protection acts to prop up corporations.
  2. Trump’s platform is very America-centric as he touts his anti-immigration efforts and trade-deals to be helping the middle-class demographic keep afloat/prosperous.
  3. Aims to keep corporate and individual taxes low to support economic growth and stability.

This is just a sliver of where Biden and Trump stand on sustainability, but you get the gist. Biden’s plan for a sustainable future is pretty on point – better/more affordable housing plans, a massive Green Deal, and of course working on racial reform.

Trump’s plan is to “go, go, go!”.

He has a growth mindset which will help our pockets in the short-term, but in the long term… well I will let you decide for yourself.

biden green politics trump. 2020 election

Related articles

  1. Politics and Policy

For purple mountain majesties, Trump signs Great American Outdoors Act

What to Know

  • The House and Senate passed the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) in a bipartisan agreement
  • The GAOA accomplishes two goals.
    1. $9 billion for deferred maintenance
    2. Guaranteed $900 million annually in perpetuity for the Land and Water Conservation Fund
  • The fund also supports the National Parks Service, Forest Service, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Indian Education

Why it Matters

  • The GAOA will help maintain NPS lands that have been loved to death with a 50% increase in visitor rate since the 1980’s
  • Conservation does not have to be a partisan issue. The passing of GAOA demonstrates room for common ground when it comes to environmental protection

Dig deeper → <1 min
Written by Whitney Ashead
  1. Politics and Policy

Kamala Harris on Climate (and a little cup of Joe)

Veep nominee Harris Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate this week. She is the first woman of color to sit on a national ticket.

What to know After dropping out before the first primary, Kamala Harris has been working with other prominent Democrats to push several new climate bills with a concentration on matters of justice.

Call it what you want, but most political pundits point to Kamala's identity as a woman of color as the main reason for the Democratic Party's, I mean, Biden's strategic selection.

One big thing One of the more interesting prospects of a Biden-Harris ticket is the reemergence of 2015 Paris Agreement. As it stands today, the US will formally quit the Paris Agreement on 4 November, 2020, the day after the election.

My take on Paris I'm not convinced (and neither are some experts) that an international agreement is the answer to climate action without true compliance. What holds nations accountable for these commitments?

As the US-China economic race continues, the Paris Agreement would become more of a cat-and-mouse due to the associated costs of energy reduction than an actual solution.

A Biden-Harris ticket through the lens of climate:

  1. New legislation committed to environmental justice
  2. A series of executive orders designed to build a clean economy; there will be ambitious targets for 2025.
  3. A proposal to make a $1.7 trillion federal investment into climate resilience over the next 10 years.
  4. New efforts toward climate diplomacy/increased cooperation with other nations, traditional allies.
  5. More stringent environmental regulation, increase environmental standards for infrastructure projects.

Bottom line Neither Biden or Harris are climate experts. Their careers were not built on climate activism. However, they are concerned about these critical issues and will hire a team of dedicated experts.

Americans want purpose not perfection. In a candidate, I think everyday voters are looking for public consideration, personal accountability, and the ability to get shit done.

Dig deeper → 5 min
Written by Jared Wolf
  1. Politics and Policy

This NEPA decision will hurt vulnerable communities… here’s why

Good stuff to know Under normal circumstances, NEPA sets a hard, but simple line for federal action on construction projects. Before the government can move ahead with a proposed project, it must:

  • Determine the future environmental impact of the project
  • Alert the public of its plans
  • Consult other alternatives to the proposal
  • Invite public commentary

The court ruling NEPA applies to 'major federal actions,' and courts have recently interpreted this term broadly.

What it means The Trump administration may pick and choose which of its projects count as 'major federal actions'. Discretion on a project’s classification lies with the agencies overseeing its completion.

Now, 'cumulative” and “indirect' effects are no longer required for agencies’ consideration. With that, NEPA maintains that decisions must “make sense for tomorrow as well as today.”

Bottom line This broad interpretation of NEPA eviscerates two of the most important protections of the act.

Civil rights lawyers and community activists are now joining forces to defeat the deafening blow to communities of color in the latest series of Trumpian environmental rollbacks.

Dig deeper → 2 min
Written by Riley DeBaecke
  1. Politics and Policy

Breaking down the Green New Deal

Big picture

  • The GND was founded on the belief that environmental issues are overlooked and underfunded
  • The GND gained traction in 2018, when the Democratic Party took control of the house. 
  • Biden offered support to the GND, but differs on some policies like an immediate ban on all fracking activities. 

Between the lines Biden has been urged to beef up his climate policy platform by climate advocacy groups to deal with the challenges global warming presents. 

Legislative precedents

  • Theodore Roosevelt’s Square Deal prioritized conservation of natural resources, control of corporations and consumer protection. 
  • Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal prioritised relief for poor, economic recovery and financial reform. 
  • Johnson’s Great Society aimed at alleviating social justice and education reform. 

Key talking points

  • It helps secure a sustainable future.
  • Our society needs a paradigm shift towards the clean energy sector, this legislation could be among the last chances to make that happen.
  • The GND is perhaps the encouragement voters need to mitigate the effects of global warming by utilizing the power of voting.

Dig deeper → 4 min
Written by Danny Schleien
Trump Environmental Rollbacks
  1. Politics and Policy

Six Trump Environmental Rollbacks during COVID

Why it matters Changes made now can pave the way for a new and dangerous status quo in environmental regulation that could severely impact the environment.

The big picture The EPA’s policies work to protect our environment and our health. Rolling them back can have grave consequences for both. 

  • A New York Times analysis revealed how the Trump Administration rolled back nearly 100 environmental rules and regulations since 2016. 
  • Proponents of radical changes like the Green New Deal are still the overwhelming minority in Congress. 

What actually happened The Federal Government proposed rolling back 6 major pieces of EPA rules and regulations including:

  1. Weakening the National Environmental Policy Act
  • Successfully allowing final environmental impact statements for projects with federal funding to effectively exclude climate change considerations. Unscrewing tight policy measures will give a free pass to pollute on major infrastructure projects, like oil & gas pipelines. 
  1. Suspending EPA Enforcement
  • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decided to indefinitely suspend enforcement of its rules and regulations due to COVID-19. Companies will self-regulate their own air and water pollution (sort of). The rule was applied on March 13th.
  1. Opening a national park to resource extraction
  • The Trump administration recently pushed through a final environmental impact statement for a 211-mile road in Alaska that would bisect a national park and open up an area rich in copper, zinc, and other minerals.
  1. Reducing regulation for  a major slaughterhouse
  • The Department of Agriculture confirmed a waiver that allowed a private company to inspect a Tyson Foods slaughterhouse in lieu of the EPA.
  1. Reducing the impact of fuel efficiency standards
  • Last week, the Trump administration rolled back Obama-era vehicle efficiency standards through 2026. Those standards, which passed in 2012, mandated 5% annual increases in fuel economy. The new standards will require less stringent 1.5% annual increases.
  1. Trying to bail out Big Oil:
  • When drafting legislation for the coronavirus stimulus package, the Trump administration intended to buy millions of barrels of oil from struggling producers. Luckily, the measure was nixed in the final legislation due to a lack of funding.

Dig deeper → 3 min
Written by Jared Wolf
  1. Politics and Policy

Trump approves ANWR drilling in a major political blow

What’s happening On Monday, the Trump administration approved drilling plans for an oil and gas leasing program in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

Energy vs. Environment This is a big policy win for Republicans in a decades-long fight for energy independence. However, the South Carolina-sized refuge has never been used for oil extraction and for good reason.

The pristine land, made up of a biodiverse plant and wildlife population, deserves protection now more than ever. America is already oil-abundant. We don't need more drilling.

So we are oil rich, why the move? Short answer: $$$$. Oil companies drilling on federal lands get a break on royalties.

Threat to Gwich’in people Gwich’in leaders are vocal about their fight against drilling in the coastal plains of ANWR. The Gwich’in people have lived in the ANWR for over a millenia.

What can you do

  1. You can sign a petition, available at the bottom of this article.
  2. Alaskans can vote in the upcoming Senatorial race; the incumbent candidate supports ANWR drilling.

Dig deeper → 1 min
Written by Jared Wolf
  1. Politics and Policy

3 clear reasons why overpopulation is a myth

Busy? Try the speed read.

The scoop: Overpopulation is a myth... because Jack Ma and Elon Musk said so. On a more serious note, a population collapse is more likely than an overpopulated planet.

Some talking points for the dinner table:

  1. Overcrowded cities ≠ overcrowded planet. The entire world population can fit in the state of Texas with the same population density as Manhattan.
  2. Lopsided populations will inevitably occur in modern advanced nations. That means young workers will be unable to support aging populations, causing natural population declines.
  3. 'Malthusian traps' refer to inevitable food shortages as populations grow. Either Malthus was right and some of us go hungry (as in we don't need to artificially halt population growth), or he's wrong and the population keeps growing sustainably through innovation.

Bottom line: The Earth has plenty to offer for 9 billion mouths. And a sustained population decline due to lower fertility rates is already becoming a realistic outcome. We just need to spread out more.

Dig deeper → 2 min
Written by Jared Wolf
  1. Politics and Policy

Can government make a difference on climate?

Busy? Try the speed read.

The scoop: With control of Congress and the White House, the Democrats have the weight of the world take serious climate action. If they fail, perhaps government is incapable of getting the job done.

Some talking points:

  • Any climate plan taken in the next few years should be targeted at institutions, not individuals.
  • We're looking for stringent environmental protections laws, and harsher rules on corporate carbon emissions. Let's not damage SMB's either, please.
  • ^In that light, if there was a vaccine-like waitlist for taking climate action, corporations should be at the top of the list. Let's get them out of the way.

Bottom line: The legacy of federal governance (fair or not) lies in the hands of an aging Biden. If his administration fails to bring about tangible change, the distrust of government may be irrevocable.

Dig deeper --> 1 min
Written by Jared Wolf
Next
No Comments
Leave a comment
Comments to: Quick rundown on how biden, trump differ on sustainability

Weekly Sustainability News!

By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy.

Sustainable Review is copyright material. All rights reserved.

Close Bitnami banner
Bitnami