On Climate Change, Leading by Example Matters This Election

On Climate Change, Leading by Example Matters This Election
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On November 4, 2016, four days before the presidential election, the historic Paris Agreement will take effect. Last November, when negotiators from almost 200 countries came together in Paris to reach the world's most significant agreement to address climate change, we lauded it as a sign that the world was taking climate change seriously, with a united front. Now, with ratification by 83 countries of the 195 who attended COP21, the accord has enough support to work, signaling the beginning of the end of more than a century of fossil fuels serving as the primary engine of global economic growth. So, what's standing in the way of substantive global action to fight climate change? Quite possibly, your ballot on November 8 - which is one of the reasons that today, more than ever before, it's critical that we have leaders who not only lead by example, but set a good example for future generations.

As we approach one of the most toxic and divisive elections in American history, it's clear that the outcome of the election will do more than determine who sits in the White House for the next four years. It will greatly impact how we address this very real and very complex problem. Our presidential candidates hold vastly disparate views on climate change. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has said she supports the Paris Agreement, while Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said he would "cancel" it. These differences, and the reasoning behind them, matter.

Climate change is one of those issues for which attention from international leaders is not just valuable- it's imperative. For instance, as one of world's largest emitters of carbon pollution, the United States certainly has its work cut out to reduce its carbon footprint. So why choose to tackle it? Because, as President Obama noted, "if we follow through on the commitments that this Paris Agreement embodies, history may well judge it as a turning point for our planet." It's a turning point we need desperately. U.N. studies project that average world temperatures are set to rise by three degrees (5.4 Fahrenheit) or more by 2100, based on current trends. On average, 2016 is expected to prove the warmest since records began in the 19th century, even beating 2015. As a global leader and one of the largest contributors to carbon pollution, it's both the United States' duty and obligation to lead by example and reverse the course we're currently heading in. This is just one of a myriad of reasons why a Donald Trump presidency would be detrimental, not just for climate change mitigation, but for the future of our country: because Trump's positions and leadership style would move us backwards. We need a leader who has the future in mind and values science in decisionmaking.

To make substantial change come to fruition, leaders need to both "talk the talk" and "walk the walk." A leader who calls for widespread adaptation of clean energy needs to make sure they are prepared to meet their own standards. A leader who seeks to become the face of an entire country needs to be able to fairly and accurately represent and respect each citizen. And that's why Donald Trump is so dangerous. He has claimed that climate change is a hoax. He has repeatedly affirmed his intention to build a wall across the US-Mexico border, and he has suggested that he would ban Muslims from entering the country. Most recently, he was embroiled in a scandal following the release of a 2005 "Access Hollywood" videotape, where he boasts about kissing and groping women without their consent. Is this someone who leads by example, someone who embraces what we love most about America and who makes decisions based on the best interests of those for whom he works?

The answer to this rhetorical question is no, but in regards to the Paris Agreement and our next Commander-in-Chief, the answer needs to be "yes." We need someone in the executive office who can get ahead of the problem, continue President Obama's push to invest in renewable energy, continue emission reductions via the Clean Power Plan , raise fuel efficiency standards, and end fossil-fuel dependence. On paper, the Paris Agreement alone will not solve all the world's climate-related problems, but it's a good start. For one, unlike the former Kyoto Protocol (which the U.S. never ratified), the Paris Agreement involves both developed and developing countries, including those that rely on revenue from oil and gas production. Regardless of their differences (of which their developing status is only one of many), these countries were able to come together for the greater good, a quintessential leadership quality that Trump clearly lacks.

With the election just weeks away, we need a leader who is prepared to step up. When we call on other countries to cut down on their emissions, we need to prove that we are also doing our part to ensure that the world will be a better, more sustainable place for future generations, regardless of what country you're born in. If we want to teach our children and students what a democracy can and should look like, and what world leadership can be, we need to elect someone who has our long-term interests in mind and is looking out for our national interests, and the world we all live in - not someone who wants to strong-arm others in service of his own ego.

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