If the past is any indication, expect US to withdraw a second time from the Paris Climate Accord

I’m fairly confident I’m not sharing information here that you don’t already know.

And, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there aren’t certain (meaning some) United States Environmental Protection Agency protections in a second Trump presidential term, that get watered down; some protections maybe even eliminated.

So where does that leave air quality?

Here is what I know.

Much of the progress that has been made in the area of energy, as it has to do with renewable-energy resources, will slow. It won’t disappear entirely because many are now reaping the benefits produced by solar and wind energy and, for those who are, they’re not going to turn their backs on that and just walk away. So, there will still be some renewable-energy resources growth, but nothing like it was. That’s my prediction.

At the same time we’ll likely see enhanced growth in the unearthing of fossil fuels along with the processing thereof and in the case of oil, its refining also. In other words, there will be a rise in fossil-fuel use both domestically and perhaps internationally as well via our exporting of such.

As for transportation, there may even be some pull-back regarding federal monies being allocated to transit.

If you remember, under the previous Trump presidential administration, $929 million in federally awarded funds were confiscated from the California high-speed rail program. With Joe Biden as President, that money was returned to the state-rail project.

In the meantime, while America’s immediate past chief executive was out on the campaign trail, he had no hesitation, reservation whatsoever in echoing, yes, echoing to campaign-rally attendees the “drill baby drill” refrain. And, as to that maxim’s meaning, I’m pretty sure there isn’t an “adult in the room” (to quote climate activist Greta Thunberg) who doesn’t know exactly what the saying “drill baby drill” refers to.

All of which bodes quite poorly in my mind’s eye where the air-quality-improvement-picture is concerned.

Corresponding, connected home-page-featured image: Eric Kounce/Wikimedia Commons

— Alan Kandel

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