The 45th president’s stance on climate change was established long before he entered the White House. It’s a hoax, he argued, and fossil fuel is an unequivocal good for the nation. Trump bashed renewable energy on the campaign trail—wind turbines are “ killing all of the eagles,” he once claimed—and vowed to remove the U.S. from the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Four years later, things haven’t exactly moved in Trump’s direction.
Quarterly U.S. Coal Production
In short tons
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
Natural gas and coal were the biggest sources of U.S. electricity before Trump was elected in 2016. Despite Trump’s promises to save coal, the U.S. last year consumed more energy from renewable sources than coal for first time since the late 1800s. Coal jobs have declined against a backdrop of mining bankruptcies in recent years, and White House efforts to roll back some environmental rules haven’t stopped coal-fired power plants from closing.
Permanent U.S. Employees at Top 50 Oilfield-Service Providers
Source: Rystad Energy
2020 is an estimate
It’s not just coal that’s seen a steep drop. Oilfield-service jobs have also fallen.
U.S. Cumulative Capacity
In megawatts
Source: BloombergNEF
2020 is an estimate
Solar and wind capacity have both flourished under Trump. Tariffs haven’t stopped the country from buying cheap solar panels made overseas, nor has it prevented customers from reaping the savings from renewable electricity, which is often less expensive than fossil fuel-derived energy.
Monthly U.S. Transportation Sector Energy Consumption
In trillions of BTUs
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
As president, Trump picked a fight with California and some automakers over Obama-era fuel efficiency standards, which he worked to dismantle. Yet transportation-energy consumption is projected to decline through the 2030s, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Monthly U.S. Energy-Related CO2 Emissions
In millions of metric tons
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
Energy-related CO2 emissions appear to be trending downward, too, even without attempts by the Trump administration to prioritize policies that would reduce greenhouse gases.
Share of American Adults …
Source: Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
Perhaps the biggest development can be seen in the public’s answer to one fundamental question: Is climate change fake? More American adults now believe global warming is both real and a cause for worry than did before Trump became president.
Trump will always have the withdrawal from Paris to his credit, once it becomes official on Nov. 4—which happens to be the day after the election. Unless, of course, a future president moves to rejoin the accord.