Trump’s Climate Skepticism and South Asia

Ms. Harsa Kakar

Donald Trump’s second term as the US President has once again given rise to concerns over his administration’s climate skepticism. As the world struggles with crises such as rising temperatures, unpredictable weather patterns, and resource scarcity, Trump’s “America First” policy stands to undermine global efforts to combat climate change. In this situation, South Asia is among the regions that are most vulnerable to climate-induced disasters. The primary reasons are the region’s geographic position and its transboundary environmental issues. The US’s withdrawal from global climate finance is a blow for countries of this region due to their reliance on climate finance to adapt to and mitigate the catastrophic impacts of climate change.

US’s Climate Skepticism and Hindered International Climate Efforts:

In his last term in 2017, Trump announced US’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. This agreement aimed to keep global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Trump’s decision back then revolved around the notion of freeing America of the economic burdens of developing nations including those of South Asia. This decision was justified by the White House as part of its “America first” policy. While this policy might have benefited America, it has been disastrous for global climate efforts, directly impacting developing nations.

This decision shocked the international community and undermined their collective efforts to address the challenges of climate change. As the largest greenhouse gas emitter, it is the moral responsibility of the US to lead climate action plans. The present leadership’s climate skepticism, however, signals US’ retreat from moral responsibility and has become a threat to the international community’s efforts to combat the crisis. Countries like China and the European Union have played a positive role, but their efforts do not fully compensate for the loss of US support. This may in turn encourage other major greenhouse-emitting countries like China and India to withdraw from climate commitments.

South Asia and its Climate Vulnerabilities:

Despite contributing the least towards greenhouse gas emissions, South Asia is positioned among the most vulnerable climate change regions. According to a World Bank report climate change could push the region into severe poverty, reducing its GDP by up to 2% annually by 2050. South Asian countries like Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan are evidences to this estimate. For example, Bangladesh faces the displacement of millions of its people each year due to flooding. India and Pakistan, on the other hand, face water shortages and increasingly deadly heatwaves each year.

Suspension of Climate Finance:

The international community has introduced global climate finance to help developing nations counter the effects of climate change. Paris Climate Agreement and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) were key mechanisms and lifeline to South Asia’s efforts to transition to sustainable development. For GCF, the US initially committed to the aid of $3 billion but contributed only $1 billion during President Obama’s term. In the following term, the Trump administration stopped contributions, hindering projects worldwide. For South Asia, the withdrawal of US’s climate aid to the GCF is particularly catastrophic. Among other South Asian countries, Nepal and Sri Lanka relied on climate finance to develop early warning systems, manage excessive water, and strengthen their coastal defense systems.

Without the aid, these countries are yet again exposed to climate-concerning vulnerabilities with reliance over none, which will further result in a spike in inequality and resource crisis. The withdrawal of climate aid from South Asia will have a ripple effect, extending beyond national borders. Climate change-induced migration and resource scarcity will fuel geopolitical tensions, destabilizing the global political order.

Recommendations and Policy Alternatives:

Firstly, South Asian countries need to prioritize their mutual regional cooperation to address climate challenges. The role of organizations like the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) can be utilized to foster collaborations. Joint efforts can be made in water resource sharing, renewable energy establishment, and disaster management to overcome the loss of international climate funding.

Secondly, developed nations must extend their contributions to fill the void left by the US. The European Union, in particular, needs to take a leading role, as it is one of the largest emitters and has the resources to support climate adaptation and mitigation. They can also impose carbon taxing and green bonds as sources of alternative revenue to support climate financing.

Moreover, the US needs to be held accountable by the international community and persuaded to reaffirm its responsibility towards fighting climate action. It should be made clear that climate finance is not mere charity, it is an obligation and a necessary investment for global stability and security. US’s role in this can help climate-vulnerable regions such as South Asia overcome migration, mass displacement, crisis, and economic collapses. The US and other developed nations should help developing and underdeveloped nations transition to the usage of clean energy.

Lastly, South Asian nations need to realign their domestic policies with climate-sustainable goals. Their governments need to prioritize investments in renewable and clean energy, sustainable infrastructure, and empower climate-vulnerable areas of their countries. They need to evolve towards technology and innovations. Such as, Generative Artificial Intelligence for early disaster prediction and, adopting climate-friendly models and software. This will enhance their preparedness for any kind of climate challenges in the future.

In a nutshell, President Trump’s withdrawal from global climate financing is a big blow to the climate-affected regions around the world, especially in South Asia. South Asia, being economically, is exposed to climate vulnerabilities and the situation keeps worsening with each passing year. This situation can be overcome by cooperation within South Asia and other vulnerable regions, the international community stepping up its climate efforts, the US reaffirming its pledge to fight climate change, and South Asian nations prioritizing climate-friendly policies.