No room for climate in Trump’s patriotism

 

President Trump’s address to the UN General Assembly celebrated his own accomplishments, ranging from Singapore to Tehran to the Texas border. He used the speech to double-down on his America First agenda and proudly reject the “coercion and domination” of institutions like the very one he was speaking to. “Together, let us choose a future of patriotism, prosperity, and pride,” Trump said. “Forever strong, forever sovereign, forever just.”

One thing Trump didn’t mention was climate change. Even the word “environment” didn’t turn up. The closest he got to talking about the climate change menace to human existence was to boast about “our abundant, affordable supply of oil, clean coal and natural gas.”

So here are a few climate-related findings from the week that didn’t make it into the US president’s forecast for American prosperity:

• A new country-level study finds the global Social Cost of Carbon (an index the US Environmental Protection Agency relies on to craft policy) is more than double previous estimates and hits the United States harder than nearly every other country on the planet.
• Grapefruit-size bubbles in a lake in Alaska suggest that thawing permafrost may release methane from ancient fossil fuel reservoirs into the atmosphere, adding to the ominous quantities of carbon dioxide already primed for release.
• A study co-authored by the US National Park Service’s top climate change scientist reveals America’s national parks have warmed twice as fast as the US average and could see some of the worst effects of climate change.

It’s doubtful Trump will revise his next speech to explain how America can stay First under these conditions. Forever strong, while it lasts.