The Current Environmental Climate Did a 180°

The undeniable threat/reality of climate change and the crushing gas/oil prices shaped the environmental policies of former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, respectively. 

These environmental issues impact millions — from flooding, fires, and everything in between to paying more at the pump and leaving less money to spend on other goods and services. Although the climate crisis and the production of oil impact one another in many ways, both administrations have taken polar opposite steps in tackling these issues. 

Alarming reports from the International Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, along with others that raised significant concerns about climate change, helped shape Biden's executive orders to advance climate reform. He aimed to increase the production of renewable energies, such as off-shore wind, while also cutting back on drilling oil. He also set a goal for 50% of all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in 2030 to be zero-emission vehicles.

Amid pushing for clean energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Biden was heavily criticized for not doing enough to lower high gas prices that resulted from the rise in oil demand following the economic downturn during the pandemic, along with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Although U.S. gasoline prices peaked in mid-July 2022 and have been decreasing/plateauing since then, Trump spent the past few years campaigning to lower the cost of gas — among other goods — by promising to turn America into an energy-independent country and drilling oil right at home.

According to a Pew Research Center poll, 56% of Republicans believe climate policies hurt the U.S. economy. In another poll by the Pew Research Center, 64% of Republicans say they are very concerned about U.S. gas and energy prices.

Backed by the majority of his party, Trump issued various executive orders on day one to curtail any climate action taken by the previous administration and decrease America’s dependence on energy from other countries. He started facilitating more oil drilling, especially in Alaska and on federal land/waters. He also withdrew America from the Paris Agreement — a legally binding international treaty to combat climate change.

Biden’s policies/actions that are now void:

• Rejoining the Paris Agreement 
• Executive Order 13990 of Jan. 20, 2021: “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis”
• Executive Order 14007 of Jan. 27, 2021: “President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology”
• Executive Order 14008 of Jan. 27, 2021: “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad”
• Executive Order 14013 of Feb. 4, 2021: “Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs To Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration”
• Executive Order 14027 of May 7, 2021: “Establishment of the Climate Change Support Office”
• Executive Order 14030 of May 20, 2021: “Climate-Related Financial Risk”
• Executive Order 14037 of Aug. 5, 2021: “Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks”
• Executive Order 14057 of Dec. 8, 2021: “Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability”
• The Presidential Memorandum of March 13, 2023: “Withdrawal of Certain Areas off the United States Arctic Coast of the Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Gas Leasing”
• Executive Order 14096 of April 21, 2023: “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All”
• The Presidential Memorandum of Jan. 6, 2025: “Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Natural Gas Leasing”

Highlights of the EO’s:

• Stated in EO 13990: Prioritizing reducing greenhouse gas emissions, bolstering resilience to impacts of climate change, and prioritizing environmental justice
• Stated in EO 14008: The U.S. will work with other countries to put the world on a sustainable climate pathway 
• Stated in EO 14030: Mitigating climate-related financial risks by creating jobs that help achieve the country’s target of a net-zero emissions economy by no later than 2050
• Stated in The Presidential Memorandum of Jan. 6, 2025: The U.S. withdrew leasing new areas for drilling oil and natural gas in the North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Straits of Florida, areas of the Outer Continental Shelf, Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Central California, and Southern California

Trump’s environmental policies/actions as of Jan. 27:

• Executive order of Jan. 20, 2025: “Putting America first in International Environmental Agreements”
• Executive order of Jan. 20, 2025: “Unleashing American Energy”
• Executive order of Jan. 20, 2025: “Putting People Over Fish: Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Provide Water to Southern California”
• Executive order of Jan. 20, 2025: “Declaring a National Energy Emergency”
• Executive order of Jan. 20, 2025: “Temporary Withdrawal of All Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf from Offshore Wind Leasing and Review of the Federal Government’s Leasing and Permitting Practices for Wind Projects”
• Executive order of Jan. 20, 2025: “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential”
• Executive order of Jan. 23, 2025: “President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology”
• Executive order of Jan. 24, 2025: “Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)”
• Executive order of Jan. 24, 2025: “Emergency Measures to Provide Water Resources in California and Improve Disaster Response in Certain Areas”

Highlights of the EO’s:

• Stated in “Putting America first in International Environmental Agreements”: The U.S. withdrew from the Paris Agreement
• Stated in “Unleashing American Energy”: Encourages exploration of energy on federal lands and waters, including the outer continental shelf. The 2030 electric vehicle mandate is eliminated
• Stated in “Declaring a National Energy Emergency”: Facilitate the leasing, siting, production, transportation, refining, and generation of domestic energy resources
• Stated in “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential”: Alaska’s lands are fully available to efficiently and effectively maximize the development of natural resources. Also, the order prioritizes the development of Alaska’s liquified natural gas, LNG, potential, including the sale and transportation of Alaskan LNG to other regions of the United States and allied nations within the Pacific region

After reviewing the old and new executive orders, there are stark differences between Biden's and Trump’s environmental policies. Biden’s priority was tackling climate change by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, while Trump’s is tackling high gas and energy prices by drilling more.

As we progress into Trump’s second term, I will examine how Trump’s new environmental policies will impact gas prices, local ecosystems where oil drilling will occur, projects that may face federal funding issues, and more.