President Trump
Donald Trump’s presidency may have serious implications for efforts both in the United States and globally to tackle climate change.
President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement has been widely criticised by other world leaders but what impact is it likely to have on international climate policy and efforts to meet targets for emission reductions outlined in the Agreement? And can businesses, mayors and governors drive forwards climate action in the United States towards targets pledged in the Paris Agreement?
President Trump’s publically stated views on the science and potential impacts of climate change have also raised concerns that policy decisions are being made without any firm and credible evidence base.
Over the coming months the Institute will be analysing and commenting on decisions the President makes in relation to climate change and providing expert analysis on what impact President Trump’s actions could have on international climate policy.
Commentaries and publications
Bob Ward discusses the implications of the decision to remove Site of Special Scientific Interest status from the sand dunes around the Trump International golf course in Aberdeenshire. Read more
Aberdeenshire Council has granted full planning permission for the building of a second Trump golf course that could lead to... Read more
The US Government initiated withdrawal from the Paris Agreement in November 2019, with completion scheduled one year on, for 4 November 2020. This policy brief examines the economic case for the United States to continue its participation in the Paris Agreement on climate change. Read more
This report investigates whether the evidence supports the reasons given by the Trump Administration to justify its decision to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, and concludes that the decision is irrational and does not promote the best interests of the American people. Read more
The announcement last week by Scottish Natural Heritage that it intends to strip a protected area of sand dunes of... Read more
American climate researchers are today signalling their willingness to try even harder to warn Congress about the growing threat to... Read more
On 6 July, 135 members of the climate change research community in the UK wrote to the Prime Minister, Theresa... Read more
On 29 July 2018, ‘The Observer’ newspaper reported that one of Donald Trump’s golf resorts in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, has “partially... Read more
An ode to Donald Trump published yesterday (2 June 2018) in ‘The Daily Telegraph’ praises his policy of inaction on... Read more
President Trump again demonstrated that he is a major source of fake news about climate change. In an interview with Piers Morgan President Trump's answers revealed the very deep level of his ignorance. Read more
President Trump claimed that the Paris Agreement on climate change “disadvantages the United States to the exclusive benefit of other countries". This commentary highlights a number of recent research papers which show no evidence for such claims. Read more
How damaging is Trump’s move to the Paris Agreement and international climate policy? And what can be done to contain the ‘Trump effect’? Read more
This commentary looks at the reasons given by President Trump for his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement on climate change. Read more
President Trump is due to make an announcement later today about whether he intends to withdraw the United States from... Read more
Matt Ridley in his column in 'The Times' has used a set of ‘alternative facts’ to urge President Trump to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change says Bob Ward in this commentary article. Read more
Will the new French president, Emmanuel Macron, be indifferent or ambitious when it comes to action on climate change asks Estelle Rouhaud in this commentary article. Read more
I warned scientists in Washington DC last week that climate researchers need to repel the attacks being launched against them... Read more
The ‘Presidential Executive Order on Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth’ on 28 March was widely interpreted as a death... Read more
Despite concerns about future US policy, following the election of Donald Trump, the COP22 summit in Marrakech made solid progress towards implementation of the Paris Agreement says Bob Ward, Director of Policy and Communications at the Institute. Read more
This report assesses the domestic constraints and opportunities for the development of climate policy in China, the EU and the US. Read more
Bob Ward, Director of Policy and Communications, looks at the prospects for climate policy in the US under President-elect Trump. Read more
In many respects the United States presidential election of 2016 could be decisive for the US, and the world, not... Read more
The announcement that the US and China have both ratified the Paris Agreement is likely to make it more difficult for Donald Trump, if he becomes President, to renege on the international commitment on climate change made by Barack Obama’s administration. Read more
