On Earth Day, hundreds of thousands of people came together in cities across America, and the world, to support the role of science in policy and society. Like the preceding weekend’s March for Science, many of those marching also protested efforts of the current administration to prevent progress on issues like climate change, environmental degradation and funding for scientific research. It’s crucial that we hold the Trump administration accountable for the likely dire consequences of their new environmental policies . But while we’re doing that, we also need to remember that the environment is not partisan. Progressive environmental policies are good for business, and it’s up to business leaders of today and tomorrow to prove that.
However, with a new political crisis seemingly taking place every day, little media attention is given to persistent (albeit often invisible) environmental issues. Nevertheless, since he took office, President Trump has quickly begun to make his mark, signing an executive order that seeks to dismantle much of the work on climate change enacted by the Obama administration (including efforts to rescind the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, which is designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from new and existing power plants); proposing to leave the 2015 Paris Agreement; reconsidering fuel efficiency standards; and proposing deep cuts to U.S. science and environmental agencies. Many of these efforts have been led by EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, who notably said in an interview that carbon dioxide’s role in the Earth’s changing climate remains unclear, a statement in sharp contrast to scientific consensus. In fact, Administrator Pruitt’s comments are so comically out of step with the science of environmental protection that one claim spurred a peer-reviewed study that actually sets the Congressional Record straight.
The Trump administration’s proposed environmental measures aren’t representative of the views of the Republican Party as a whole but unfortunately, in recent months, many politicians have fallen in line behind the president, refusing to publicly consider the consequences of the newly proposed environmental policies. Instead of blindly agreeing with policies advocated for by the White House, we need politicians and business leaders from both parties to step up, listen, and recognize the long-term economic and environmental implications of ignoring, or worse, deliberately misrepresenting science. Environmental degradation is not a treehugger movement - it’s a long-term economic issue with the potential to lead to an economic collapse if change doesn’t happen soon.
Teaching at a business university, it’s clear to me that this generation understands that message. . To stave off the worst effects of climate change, we need to look at the environment through an economic lens. We teach our students that the earth, economy and society don’t exist in exclusive silos; rather, we need environmental sustainability in order to produce a thriving economy and society. For example, in researching current energy policy trends in one of my courses, students discover that the decline in coal used for U.S. electricity generation over the last 5-10 years has very little to do with environmental regulation. In fact, technology and market forces are driving a fuel switch to cleaner natural gas and renewables. A recent analysis by Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy concludes that President Trump’s efforts to bring back coal by rolling back environmental regulations “will not materially improve economic conditions in America’s coal communities.” The irony is that Clean Power Plan capitalized on that trend, allowing the economy to work for the environment.
Future leaders in business and policy have an opportunity to create substantial change by making decisions grounded in science and fact. The more these voices, wherever they fall on the political spectrum, can point to evidence that progressive environmental policies are good for the environment and good for business, the more likely we are to see change. Environmental decisions cannot be partisan. Protecting the environment is a win-win for the economy and the world we live in - but there’s no time to waste.