Letter from the Chief Ferengi

July 18, 2017 by Fred Allebach

Dear Fred:

Thank you for taking the time to express your views regarding the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The United States is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, which the Obama Administration signed in April 2016. While the agreement would have a negligible effect on climate change, it would impose unfair burdens on American workers and hurt our Nation’s global competitiveness.

My Administration will continue to keep the air we breathe clean. America has led the world in carbon dioxide reductions even as we have continued to expand our energy production. Since 2005, our country’s energy-related carbon dioxide emissions have declined by an average annual rate of 1.4 percent. The Energy Information Administration projects that emissions will remain below 2005 levels over the next 20 years.

While little would change for our climate under the Paris Agreement, our electricity prices would significantly increase. The Obama Administration’s emissions commitments would require us to shift energy production from affordable, reliable fuels to those that are more costly and less reliable. Moreover, the escalating electricity prices attributable to the agreement would increase the cost of goods and services and put millions of American jobs at risk, particularly those in manufacturing and other energy-intensive industries.

Continued participation in the Paris Agreement would be fundamentally unfair to American taxpayers. It would require the transfer of billions of their hard-earned dollars to other countries through the “Green Climate Fund.” It also would apply emissions-reduction targets and timelines to the United States that do not apply to other countries. In fact, the agreement as negotiated would commit the United States to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, a significant burden for America’s workers and families. Meanwhile, the agreement allows countries such as China to increase their emissions for years to come.

My Administration will continue to participate in international discussions on climate change. We will also pursue technology and innovation that protect the environment, while ensuring access to the affordable, reliable energy that is necessary for a strong and growing economy. Further, my Administration will continue to support the rigorous scientific research that is critical to environmental protection, as well as the honest inquiry and robust debate on which rigorous science depends.

Thank you again for your suggestions. As President, I am confident that together we can both preserve our natural environment for future generations and enhance economic opportunities for all Americans.

Sincerely, Donald Trump

Analysis of Trump’s statements and assumptions

One, “the agreement would have a negligible effect on climate change”: Not true, the US is the world’s largest generator of greenhouse gas emissions. The greatest GHG emitter’s efforts to mitigate would have great impact and moral weight. The US has abdicated its role as a leader, alone among all advanced economies in abandoning the Paris Agreement, not negligible.

Two, “the agreement would impose unfair burdens on American workers and hurt our Nation’s global competitiveness”: If a country uses the most resources in the world, with a small percentage of world population, and produces the most climate damaging GHG emissions, that comes with a responsibility to own the costs. That is fair, not unfair. To boot, US global competitiveness is mofre damaged by Trump’s erratic, unpredictable behavior, and isolationist foreign policy. Being a team player on Paris fosters cooperation, which is what is needed, not to enshrine competition in a race to the bottom.

Three, “little would change for our climate under the Paris Agreement”: This is a perfect example of Trump saying whatever he wants and ignoring actual facts. By saying little would change, Trump gives the finger to the whole rest of the world’s understanding of climate change. Who are you going to believe, a second-rate big time wrestling reality TV personality or 50 years of scientific study? The sad part is that Trump supporters live in a bubble where they don’t care what is actually true or not.

Four, “the Obama Administration’s emissions commitments would require us to shift energy production from affordable, reliable fuels to those that are more costly and less reliable”: This statement contrasts short-term financial gain using outdated energy sources against the growing and dynamic alternative energy and technology field. Trump makes the issue all about money. For Trump doing the right thing is all about being selfish and getting the best deal for himself only. Unfortunately for the US, Chinese business acumen is going to use Trump’s selfish blind spot, and have the US for lunch by becoming the world economic leader.

Five, the agreement is “unfair to American taxpayers. It would require the transfer of billions of their hard-earned dollars to other countries through the “Green Climate Fund.” It also would apply emissions-reduction targets and timelines to the United States that do not apply to other countries.”: Again, if the US created the lion’s share of world climate problems, it is fair to bear the burden of mitigating that. That is simply responsible policy, mitigate your effects, not irrationally deny them and then double down on more damage.

Six, “further, my Administration will continue to support the rigorous scientific research that is critical to environmental protection, as well as the honest inquiry and robust debate on which rigorous science depends.”: This is a flat out, dishonest, disingenuous lie. The US president is a liar. Trump has gutted the EPA, minimized science, and taken all climate info off the EPA website. The new EPA chief is an anti-science, free market zealot. This statement shows how dangerous and disillusioned Trump and his administration are, and why it is critical that Sonoma, Sonoma County and California do as much as possible on our own to mitigate our regional climate change impacts.