Insights: WRI's Blog

We’ve now entered a new world order when it comes to the acceptance — or rather, the denial — of scientific fact.

The Trump administration's sweeping executive order, signed this week, aims to roll back the Clean Power Plan, a move that will set the United States back and allow other countries to take the lead in cleaner energy that creates jobs and improves people's lives. WRI's Sam Adams explains.

President Donald Trump's latest executive order aims to roll back many of the core elements of U.S. climate strategy, a move that threatens America's health and the country's economic prosperity. Here are details of the order's major provisions and their potential impact.

The Trump administration’s budget proposal for the State Department and USAID would eliminate funding for the Global Climate Change Initiative, which supports hundreds of climate change programs and advances U.S. interests around the world. As a former USAID Foreign Service Officer, WRI's Rebecca Carter draws on her experience to show these programs are great investments.

The most recent communique from the G20 drops all references to climate change, a move reportedly instigated by the United States, Saudi Arabia and others. The omission is a setback, as climate finance benefits U.S. jobs and exports and is key to meeting global climate targets.

The social cost of carbon helps analysts assess the economic benefits of climate action and costs of inaction. Dropping it, as the Trump administration is considering, will prevent the government from using the best available science in decision-making or holding polluters accountable.

Fuel efficiency standards save Americans money at the pump while cutting pollution and helping automakers stay competitive. Yet the Trump administration is on the verge of calling for their review.

The Trump administration is expected to release an executive order that would direct the EPA to roll back the Clean Power Plan. The move will hurt America's economy, health and security.

When German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits Washington next week for her first meeting with President Donald Trump since his inauguration, she has made clear she intends to raise the issue of climate change. Her voice would join a rising chorus of global leaders who favor the Paris Agreement.

Of its four climate goals, China has already exceeded one, is close to meeting another, and is more than halfway toward achieving the remaining two. This is encouraging progress from the world's largest emitter.