As the world stands on the precipice of a climate catastrophe, the return of Donald Trump to the White House in 2025 represents a direct existential threat to life on Earth. His disregard for science, authoritarian tendencies, and stated climate policies pose a grave danger, not only to the United States but to every nation — ours included. In this critical juncture, the future of humanity hinges on global efforts to combat climate change. However, with Trump back in power, his administration’s stance will certainly reverse progress, undoing crucial climate initiatives, and further igniting a global environmental crisis.
In recent days, the American Petroleum Institute (API), a major industry lobby group, has called on President-elect Trump to reverse several key climate policies set by President Joe Biden. The API’s agenda includes dismantling emissions standards for vehicles, eliminating restrictions on oil and gas drilling on federal lands, and facilitating the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG). These moves would not only heighten U.S. emissions but could also undermine the global efforts to combat climate change.
Trump, who has long advocated for rolling back environmental regulations, has consistently sided with fossil fuel interests, even as the world continues to experience record-breaking heatwaves, floods, and wildfires. His misguided, unfounded beliefs could severely hinder efforts to mitigate the devastating impacts of climate change, particularly at a time when the consequences of global warming are becoming increasingly evident. This is no longer a distant concern; it is happening right now.
The scientific consensus on climate change is irrefutable. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “it is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land.” The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has also stated that the last decade has been the warmest on record, with global temperatures rising to alarming new highs. NASA confirms that the planet’s average surface temperature has risen by 1.1°C since the late 19th century, driven largely by human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels.
Yet, in stark contrast to this overwhelming body of evidence, Donald Trump has persistently dismissed climate change as a threat, making a mockery of the scientific community’s warnings. As recently as his last presidency, he notoriously claimed that climate change was a “hoax” created by the Chinese to undermine U.S. manufacturing. In 2018, Trump publicly stated, “I don’t believe it. I don’t believe it’s man-made,” dismissing decades of research by climate scientists. His words were not just those of an ignorant individual in denial — they were those of a leader whose policies could have global consequences.
Trump’s scepticism toward climate science is not limited to casual remarks. In 2017, he made a pointed claim about the shifting language of climate science, saying, “There is a cooling and there’s a heating. I mean, look, it used to be called global warming, it’s now called climate change.” For Trump, the shifting terminology wasn’t an indication of evolving scientific understanding but an opportunity to further fuel his denialism.
This resistance to recognising the truth of climate science is not just ideological; it is also political. In 2021, ExxonMobil’s CEO, Darren Woods, speaking at the UN COP29 summit, expressed concern that the U.S. should remain a signatory of the Paris Agreement, acknowledging its importance in global efforts to combat climate change. This came amid calls by the API to undo key climate policies, including the cessation of the U.S. commitment to the Paris accord. Trump’s consistent dismissal of such agreements is emblematic of his broader agenda to undermine global cooperation on climate issues.
The consequences of Trump’s climate policies are not confined to the U.S. alone. The effects of climate change are global, and they threaten to undo decades of progress in development, environmental sustainability, and human health. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has repeatedly warned that climate change poses “a major threat to human health,” with rising temperatures exacerbating the spread of diseases, extreme weather events, and the displacement of populations due to sea-level rise.
The IPCC has also stressed that “many of these changes [due to climate change] are becoming irreversible.” The World Bank has described climate change as “a major threat to global development and poverty reduction.” Yet, Trump’s policies risk accelerating these effects. The reversal of key regulations such as vehicle emission standards and drilling restrictions would directly contribute to the rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, pushing the planet even closer to the dangerous thresholds of climate collapse.
Scientists have long warned that we are approaching critical tipping points — points at which climate change’s effects will become catastrophic and irreversible. Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, cautions, “We are entering a new era of global risk, where the stability and resilience of Earth systems are increasingly threatened.”
Trump’s isolationist tendencies and disregard for global cooperation further exacerbate this crisis. His last administration’s approach to foreign policy has been to retreat from multilateral agreements and alliances, a stance that will have significant implications for the climate.
As we enter an era where the effects of climate change are no longer hypothetical but real and pressing, the world cannot afford another four years of inaction, denial, and obstruction from the U.S. A Trump presidency would endanger global climate agreements, silence scientific discourse, and undermine international cooperation on the climate crisis. At this point, other world leaders – right-thinking, intellectually accomplished, mentally-stable world leaders – must act quickly and decisively.
For our nation and the world, this is not just a political issue — it is a matter of survival. The clock is ticking, and with the existential threat of climate change growing every day, we must confront the reality of what Trump’s presidency would mean for our future. The science is clear, the evidence irrefutable, and the stakes could not be higher.
