As the issue of climate change gathers momentum in capitals and mindsets around the world, the United States finds itself increasingly becoming a conspicuous and unfortunate pariah. Under the Trump administration, the science of climate change has mostly been replaced with denial, and in the process, Washington has attempted to thwart efforts by the United Nations and other bodies in their efforts to combat the issue. For instance, ForeignPolicy.com reported that, at an Arctic Council meeting last week in Finland, the U.S. delegation blocked the group from making any reference to climate change in the summary declaration of issues addressed at the meeting. (This was the same meeting at which U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that the melting polar ice caps offer “new opportunities for trade,” which at least acknowledged that something is happening.) For those who worry about the impact of climate change on our lives and our world — and that includes a great many people — this kind of blatant resistance and inaction is frustrating and infuriating. America’s current resistance to even facing climate change makes it an outlier on the world stage. While the U.S. president and his allies ignore or dismiss the issue, the rest of the planet is embracing it. In the process, the U.S. is excluding itself from a growing world movement — and it’s in danger of being left behind as other nations tackle the matter head-on. To view the full article visit Yankton Daily.
