Climate Skepticism: How Trump?s Rhetoric Affects Climate (For the Better)

By: Aldrin Aujero 

September 12, 2017

Donald Trump has been known as an outright climate change denier. He has labled climate change as a ?hoax? and has even tweeted that

?Climate change was created by and for the Chinese? to outcompete US manufacturers, in 2012.

However, the back to back category three hurricanes Harvey and Irma has led to the recent debate and controversy of how climate change affects catastrophes such as hurricanes. The policies being implemented by the Trump administration, however, seems to take a counter-productive direction. For instance, simply consider Trump?s action in rescinding a flood mitigation law just before Hurricane Harvey made its landfall[1]

(see:https://tunza.eco-generation.org/worldReportView.jsp?viewID=43489&searchType=&searchName=&pageNumber=1  for more information)

In addition there have been talks regarding the censorship of the words ?climate change? reports released by government agencies. And as if that was not enough, the White House now also declines to affirm that climate change affects hurricanes[2] despite the large body of research supporting this.

(see:http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/white-house-declines-climate-change-factor-recent-hurricanes/story?id=49774639 )

It is intuitive to believe that these actions by the US government is perpetuating detrimental notions regarding climate change. However, even in this case, it can be argued that this negative notion being perpetuated by Donald Trump has reached a point of complete absurdity and is now actually working better for the people on the other side of the spectrum. The fact that the lies and propaganda underneath Trump?s rhetoric are being more and more exposed as it is juxtaposed with the realities of the severity of climate change as emphasized by Irma and Harvey. The truth that the vast majority of people are starting to see the absurdity of Trump?s claim, and that the status quo is turning against him is made even more evident with Miss USA?s public denouncement of Trump?s actions with regards to the Paris Accord. There is no doubt that in reality, Trump?s rhetoric is allowing more people differentiate between folly and facts.

The only question left to be answered is will enough people be knowledgeable enough about the facts of climate change? People are doubting the credibility of Trump?s ever changing opinion. And it is up to us, climate activists to encourage climate awareness to gain as much ground as possible while the opportunity exists.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/09/opinion/sunday/trump-epa-pruitt-science.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/miami-mayor-climate-change-hurricane-irma_us_59b417dee4b0b5e5310683ae?section=us_politics

https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/9/7/16258848/us-climate-politics-farce