Summer has arrived and it’s hot. No surprise here, but we have been in a dangerous heat wave. Correction, it isn’t a heat wave — it’s a heat dome. Tens of millions of people have faced a level 4 extreme heat risk. That’s the highest level of extreme heat, the deadliest weather-related hazard in America, according to the fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA). In the past, we have been fortunate to have access to this report so that we can plan for the effects of climate change. But you can now kiss that access goodbye.
Trump’s administration dumped the scientists working on this report, which was mandated by Congress to assess the impacts of climate change. Produced by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, the report synthesizes scientific information on climate change and its effects from 15 federal agencies. Congress established the program about 35 years ago through the Global Change Research Act, and President George H.W. Bush signed it into law.
Unfortunately, I doubt that the deadly heat will convince Trump to reconsider his position about the national assessment. Nor will the warnings from 60 leading climate scientists that the Earth could breach the symbolic 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit in as little as three years at the current levels of carbon dioxide emissions. Remember, during his first term, Trump initiated our withdrawal from the 2015 Paris Agreement aiming to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. He said that the agreement was a burden on America’s economy.
Cutting off any promotion of climate action, alternative energy sources and regulation greatly benefits the fossil fuel industry’s expansion of its power and profits. While encouraging more production of oil, gas and coal, those cuts mean the elimination of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal support for solar, wind and other clean energy. Supporters call this corporate money-making scheme a taxpayers’ delight and financial investment in our future.
Critics call this “baking climate denial into U.S. policy” and are more inclined to support those who will suffer than those who’ll make the corporate profits. I’m pretty sure that if you’re not in one of these vulnerable categories, you know lots of people who are: babies and young children; overweight people; adults 65 years old or older; those who overdo work or exercise; those who suffer heart disease; those who take medications for depression, insomnia or poor circulation.