President Donald Trump decided to remove climate change from the list of worldwide threats menacing the United States. According to the Associated Press, this is a shift that underscores the long-term ramifications on the “America First” worldview he laid out in his new National Security Strategy.
In the document, Russia and China are presented as combative rivals, but the dangers posed by warming climate are not mentioned. This is a significant departure from the Obama administration and it shows how Trump has been able to unilaterally dismantle one of his predecessor’s signature efforts.
The report emphasizes that economic security is national security for the U.S. and it says that the country will defend its sovereignty even if it has to risk existing agreements with other countries. References to the environment are not entirely eliminated. The document says that climate policies will continue to shape the global energy system.
“The United States will remain a global leader in reducing traditional pollution, as well as greenhouse gases, while expanding our economy,” the document reads.
Speaking about the report, Trump blamed previous administrations for putting American energy under lock and key and stated that his approach embraced a future of American energy dominance and self-sufficiency.
“Our nation must take advantage of our wealth in domestic resources and energy efficiency to promote competitiveness across our industries,” he said.
Former President Barack Obama prepared a national strategy document two years ago. That document identified climate change as a national security risk and emphasized that climate change was contributing to increased natural disasters, refugee flows and conflicts over basic resources like food and water. The document warned that that could already be felt.
According to Rosina Bierbaum, a University of Michigan environmental policy scientist, this is not a good move.
“Not including climate change in a document about security threats is putting our head in the sand. Climate change is absolutely a security threat, posing risks to U.S. coastal infrastructure, expanding the ranges of pests and pathogens, and fueling more powerful storms and wildfires,” she said.
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