The Conference of the Parties (COP) held its 21st session in Paris to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change this past week, and their intentions remain unchanged: to prevent the effects of climate change through international joint efforts with the ultimate goal of stabilizing its effects – before we get past the point of no return.
It should come as no surprise then, that the COP has had such a profound effect on the United States 2016 Presidential Race, judging by the fact that many aspirants have shown unprecedented levels of attention towards and support for measures on climate change. Such measures, undoubtedly requiring significant alterations to environmental policy and regulation, are bound to unsettle the waters of the existing political arena. In turn, all candidates will and have demonstrated their own view on these matters – as different stands on domestic and foreign policies have been populating the news stands for the past several days. Needless to say, each person’s stances and take on policies continuously shape and mold public opinion, aspect of paramount importance to anyone wanting to gather votes. Hopefully, this writing can shed some light and provide an insight on how environmental policy would influence the campaign for presidency of the United States this coming year.
The Paris talks have greatly elevated the environment as a political issue. As a result, presidential candidates like Marco Rubio have been critical on Obama’s leading role on the climate change community.
Rubio argues that President Obama has advocated for radical environmental regulations on climate change in the United States economy by using unilateral executive approaches instead of involving the congress to formulate policies that embrace the consensus view and support of the people. Secondly, Obama’s pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is not open to scrutiny, hence it cannot be fully implemented because of litigation shortcomings and policy objections. Furthermore, President Obama’s pledge to give funds to the Green Climate Fund for the use by third world counties was not approved by congress, therefore there is no enforcement mechanism. This effectively means that it could be simply changed by the next administration. Since America’s green contribution alone cannot meaningfully affect global climate change, the Greenhouse Gas Emissions pledge may very well not be implemented.
He also argues that the COP 21 agreement bases all of its political stance directly from Obama, which is the “go-it-alone” approach, allegedly giving promises to the world in order to propagate his environmental legacy instead of advocating for the interests of the American people on global climate change.
The environmental policy issues that shape the views on aspirants range from administrative climate actions, to climate change policies alongside international pledges, not to exclude all domestic and international climate agreements. The democratic and republican candidates have different outlooks on such agreements, various administrative climate action plans, the legislation tied to such issues and varied policies on greenhouse gas emissions that can potentially influence the American economy and its citizens. The strategies on environmental policies designed to decarburize the United States economy have been of recent prevalence, and candidates should advocate on how they can work with Congress and the people when approaching policy formulation, and should attempt at doing so in a consensus manner.
The United States is a world power and is one of the leading emitters of greenhouse gases. It plays a huge role – if not the lead role – in the world’s environmental policy efforts, and for that reason should set policies and activities that would consequently be emulated by other world leaders at encounters such as the COP. |
Most voters seek worldly understanding of environmental issues in their presidential candidate, some even say it is becoming somewhat of a credential. He or she should have an understanding of the climate changes threatening the globe, as well as pollution and its effects. It is by having the aforementioned qualities and holding the right values at heart that our future leader will command appropriate intervention and adequate policy regulation. |
The clear understanding of the challenges being faced by other states in the 21st Conference of the Parties will enable the formulation of environmental policies that could prevent domestic and international environmental disasters. Comprehensive experience in a candidate on foreign policies enables him or her concern over global climate change since it would make him or her interact with states influenced by climate change more than the United States. In conclusion, there should be change concerning environmental regulation, and the USA undeniably considers environmental regulation as an important foreign and domestic policy subject. Candidates should have a clear understanding of its role in the world concerning climate change. As foreign issues emerge in the 2016 presidential race, it’s clear that issues of international nature can cause domestic problems. They should set examples domestic policies and prepare in leading international regulations in climate change.
Citation:
Alter, J. (2014). The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Cowie, J. (2012). Climate Change: Biological and Human Aspects. London: Cambridge University Press.
Davis, J. H. (2014). Perpetuation of the United States of America. New York: Xlibris Corporation.
http://42756231-216756572651921798.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/4/2/7/5/42756231/173378035.jpg?343
http://42756231-216756572651921798.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/4/2/7/5/42756231/782449195.jpg?344
Press, T. M. (2015). Global Environmental Politics. The MIT Press journals, 23.
Senate, U. S. ( 2015, December 1). FORECAST FOR COP-21. Majority Staff White Paper, p. 40.
http://42756231-216756572651921798.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/4/2/7/5/42756231/254043468.jpghttp://42756231-216756572651921798.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/4/2/7/5/42756231/1449424170.png
Vanderheiden, S. (2015). Atmospheric Justice: A Political Theory of Climate Change. London: Oxford University Press.
VOGLER, J. (2015). The European contribution to global environmental governance. International affairs, 368.
http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-climate-change-talks-paris-updates-htmlstory.html
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/obama-we-are-going-contribute-3-billion-green-climate-fund
Alter, J. (2014). The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Cowie, J. (2012). Climate Change: Biological and Human Aspects. London: Cambridge University Press.
Davis, J. H. (2014). Perpetuation of the United States of America. New York: Xlibris Corporation.
http://42756231-216756572651921798.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/4/2/7/5/42756231/173378035.jpg?343
http://42756231-216756572651921798.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/4/2/7/5/42756231/782449195.jpg?344
Press, T. M. (2015). Global Environmental Politics. The MIT Press journals, 23.
Senate, U. S. ( 2015, December 1). FORECAST FOR COP-21. Majority Staff White Paper, p. 40.
http://42756231-216756572651921798.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/4/2/7/5/42756231/254043468.jpghttp://42756231-216756572651921798.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/4/2/7/5/42756231/1449424170.png
Vanderheiden, S. (2015). Atmospheric Justice: A Political Theory of Climate Change. London: Oxford University Press.
VOGLER, J. (2015). The European contribution to global environmental governance. International affairs, 368.
http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-climate-change-talks-paris-updates-htmlstory.html
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/obama-we-are-going-contribute-3-billion-green-climate-fund