The hostile economic war, launched by US President Donald Trump against the entire world under the slogan "America First", has obscured other aggressions, which might be more dangerous. Even if these arrogant isolationist policies succeed in achieving some temporary gains for the American people through blackmail and manipulation, holding onto them threatens to push America to the back burner. A country should not be governed like a greedy private business, free from all restrictions, standards, and human values, aiming only to achieve quick profits. The worst is when this comes at the cost of depleting natural resources, through enticement and intimidation to exploit the economic and security vulnerabilities of other countries. In doing so, this destroys the natural balance and deprives future generations of their right to a healthy environment. Climate change policies are perhaps the most striking example of this moral decline.
The current level of decay in US climate policy is unprecedented. Although the environment and climate were not at the forefront of George W. Bush's presidency from 2001 to 2009, the United States did not obstruct global negotiations. President Bush was keen to maintain his country's position as an active player in the international community, while demanding burden-sharing among countries in line with his administration's concept of justice, despite refusing to admit his country's historic responsibility for emissions- thus refusing the principle of compensation for damages. Conversely he allocated large budgets for scientific research, including those related to the environment, clean energy, and climate, alongside preserving academic freedoms. His policies were, nonetheless, based on combating environmental and climate degradation through technology, not by reducing emissions and changing consumption patterns, in a society that prides itself on its consumerist values.
Today, we are witnessing an unprecedented scene: the politicization of scientific research and the repression of researchers and universities. This is not limited to the imprisonment, and even deportation, of anyone the Trump administration considers to be opposed to its policies, but extends to cutting off research budgets for universities that refuse to surrender to political guidelines. In the areas of renewable energy, climate change, and the environment in general, the Trump administration has withdrawn hundreds of billions from programs designed to support research and boost the transition to clean energy. The cuts covered many other areas, including medical research, humanities and international law. This has already accelerated a serious brain drain, with thousands of students and researchers looking for opportunities outside the USA.
Among the most bizarre measures, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced it would stop tracking the costs of climate crisis-fuelled disasters, including floods, heat waves, and wildfires, thus halting updates to its weather database- as if burying the numbers makes the problem go away.
Last April, Trump signed an executive order allowing commercial deep-sea mining, within US and in international waters, regardless of the ensuing environmental impact on a fragile ecosystem. This unprecedented act, which has been considered a blunt violation of international law, was preceded by eliminating restrictions on oil, gas and coal exploration in protected areas.
Under another executive order, Trump repealed household water efficiency requirements, which restrict the amount of water allowed in shower heads, faucets, dishwashers, toilets, and washing machines. According to him, the current water pressure allowed is not enough to wash his "beautiful hair". Ironically, on the day he signed this "water order" to preserve his beautiful hair, hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza were facing death due to thirst, whereas two billion people around the world lack access to clean water, and nearly four billion lack minimum sanitation, according to the United Nations. In another executive order, he cancelled $8 billion in clean energy programs.
While the civilized world stands in shock at these measures, which, according to Trump, aim to "Make America Great Again," the USA announced new sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), threatening to punish countries and organizations cooperating with it. The ICC's "crime" is issuing rulings for blunt crimes against humanity committed by allies of the US. Another practice of rogue expansionist states is to create and fuel conflicts in other countries, as a pretext to sell weapons and the illusion of protection, in return for exploiting their resources at the cheapest price in an extortionist manner.
Stopping research funding and hiding figures on climate change and environmental degradation will not alter the reality or halt deterioration. Any easing of climate action today will have to be compensated in the future with stronger, painful measures. A president is a passing event, while climate change is an established reality. As happened during Trump's first term, the gap created by the US retreat will be filled by other countries, particularly in the fields of renewable energy and efficiency. Americans will discover, albeit too late, that they sacrificed their competitiveness for short-term gains. Let's not forget that China's rapid rise in renewable energy began during the George W. Bush administration's loose climate policies, leading to China's global leadership in solar and wind energy, as well as in electric vehicles. China was quick to read the writing on the wall when it chose to invest in the future, and all countries should do the same. Arbitrary tariffs will not compensate for the failures caused by short-sighted policies, especially when a country loses its competitive edge.
Real estate developers must recognize that countries and civilizations are not commodities for sale, and that bullying policies are unsustainable. Governments that care about their people's interests must develop their own capabilities and build alliances that preserve their sovereignty and rights to their natural resources.
