Despite Trump moves, COP30 will show efforts to curb planet warming persist | Opinion
Despite Trump moves, COP30 will show efforts to curb planet warming persist | Opinion Even before this latest addition to the long list of foreboding climate records, a spring Gallup poll showed a record number of Americans view global warming as a serious threat to them personally.
Gregory Nemet and Morgan Edwards | Special to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Show Caption Hide Caption A climate scientist speaks about new book on climate change As the earth continues to warm, how will mankind respond? Author and climate scientist Kate Marvel wrestles with her anger in her new book, "Human Nature." The Trump administration has withdrawn the U.S.
from the Paris Agreement and will likely not attend the upcoming COP30 climate summit. Despite the federal government's withdrawal, many U.S. states and cities are continuing their own climate action plans. A record number of Americans now view global warming as a serious personal threat, according to a recent Gallup poll.
International efforts to combat climate change are moving forward, with countries like the U.K., Germany, and Brazil setting ambitious emissions reduction goals. Next week, world leaders will descend on the port city of Belém, Brazil for the United Nations’ COP30 , which begins Nov.
10. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the largest and most significant annual gathering in global efforts to address climate change, and the U.S. government will likely not attend. The Trump administration has made it clear that it wants no part in international efforts to take action on a rapidly warming planet .
Most significantly, President Trump signed an executive order on his first day back in office that once again withdrew the US from the landmark Paris Agreement . The United States will join just three nations in the world — Iran, Libya and Yemen — as countries not on the treaty that compels countries to cooperate to limit global temperature increases.
Meanwhile, the World Meteorological Organization just revealed new data showing that, in addition to carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere reaching record levels in 2024, the jump in levels from 2023 was the highest year-over-year increase since the measurement began in 1957.
Editorial: Federal failure on FoodShare a crisis for Wisconsin. This is above politics. Even before this latest addition to the long list of foreboding climate records, a spring Gallup poll showed a record number of Americans view global warming as a serious threat to them personally.
Understandably, many feel frustrated or even helpless as they watch an administration gut decades’ worth of climate work, halt critical data collection, and even ban climate change-related language . It is a tough time to be part of the 63% of Americans worried about global warming .
By no means do we intend to downplay the seriousness of the federal government’s withdrawal from climate efforts, but as climate policy scholars we think it is important to make clear that much of the work taking place in the U.S., and globally, continues apace.
This year, Boston became the first U.S. city to require that new buildings have net zero carbon emissions . Chicago recently realized its goal of running every municipal building on renewable energy. In many ways, the local level is where much of the climate action takes place as policy changes can be swift, impactful, and tangible.
The story is similar at the state level. Nearly every state has a climate action plan and remains committed to making progress during the current presidential administration and beyond. Many landmark climate laws and standards began at the state level, and with the bipartisan U.S.
Climate Alliance including 24 governors, states remain well poised to continue the work on climate action. Opinion: Wisconsin Investment Board crypto moves masterclass in disciplined management Meanwhile, rapid advances continue in the private sector as clean power technologies and adoption evolve faster than anticipated.
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