If you care about saving Earth from catastrophe, you might be feeling a little down about the re-election of Donald Trump as United States president. Undeniably, his return to the White House is a real setback for climate action.
Trump is a who has promised to and from the Paris climate deal, among other worrying pledges.
But beyond Trump and his circle, there remains deep concern about climate change, . Support for climate policy remains high in and around the world. And studies in more than 60 countries suggest individuals’ concern about climate change is widely underestimated.
So now is a good time to remember that efforts to tackle the climate crisis – both in Australia and globally – are much bigger than one man. Here are ten reasons to remain hopeful.
1. The global clean energy transition can’t be halted
The global shift to clean energy is accelerating, and Trump can’t stop it. Investment in clean energy , and will be . This is a historic mega-trend and will continue with or without American leadership.
2. Clean energy momentum is likely to continue in the US
Much of the Biden-era spending on clean energy industries . New factories will still go ahead under the Trump administration. After all, entrepreneur Elon Musk – who is expected to – makes electric vehicles.
Some of Trump’s financial backers are and 18 Republican Congress members have gone on record to .
3. The US still wants to beat China
There is about the US losing a technological edge to Beijing. China currently of electric vehicles, batteries, wind turbines and solar panels. So internal pressure in the US to will continue.
4. The federal government is not everything in the US
When Trump was last in power, he withdrew the US from some climate commitments, such as the Paris Agreement. But many state and local governments powered ahead with climate policy, and that will happen this time around, too. For example, California – the world’s fifth largest economy – plans to . Even Texas, a Republican heartland, is .
5. The US climate movement will be more energised than ever
During Trump’s first presidency, the US climate movement developed policy proposals for a “”. Many of these proposals were later implemented by the Biden administration. to Trump’s re-election suggest we can expect similar policy advocacy this time around.
6. Global climate cooperation is bigger than Trump
If Trump makes good on his promise to leave the Paris Agreement (again), he will only be leaving the room . The US has walked away from global climate agreements before – for example, in 2001. But other nations rallied for global action, and will do so again.
7. The rules-based global order will remain
When a nation walks away from rules that have been , responsible countries must work together to bolster global cooperation. This applies to trade and security – and climate is no different.
As our Foreign Minister Penny Wong , Australia, as a middle power on the world stage, wants:
a world where disputes are resolved by engagement, negotiation and by reference to rules [and] norms […] We don’t want a world in which disputes are resolved by power alone.
8. Australian diplomacy matters
Australia is seeking to co-host the United Nations climate talks with Pacific island countries in 2026, and is . Hosting the conference, known as COP31, would be a chance for Australia to help broker a new era of international climate action, even if the US opts out under Trump.
Hosting the talks would also help cement Australia’s place in the Pacific and assist our Pacific neighbours to deal with the climate threat.
9. Australia’s clean energy shift is accelerating
About 40% of Australia’s main national electricity grid is and this is set to rise to 80% by 2030. Some states are surging ahead – for example, South Australia is aiming for 100% renewables .
Australians love clean energy at home, too. One in three households have rooftop solar installed, making us a world-leader in the technology’s uptake. Trump’s occupation of the Oval Office cannot stop this momentum.
10. Trump cannot change the science of climate change
The science is clear – burning coal, oil and gas fuels climate change and increases the that are harming communities right now. In Australia, we need look no further than the Black Summer bushfires in 2019-20 and unprecedented Lismore floods in 2022.
And the damage is happening across the globe. In October, twin hurricanes in the US – – left a damage bill of . And hundreds of people died when fell in one day in Spain last month.
On gloomy days – like, say, the election of a climate denier to the White House – it might feel humanity won’t rise to Earth’s biggest existential challenge. But there are many reasons for hope. The vast majority of us support policies to tackle climate change, and in many cases, the momentum is virtually unstoppable.
, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, and , Professor of Cognitive Psychology and Director of the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk and Response,
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