Among the first actions taken by President Donald Trump in his second term were executive orders rolling back environmental protections by the preceding Biden administration. Students and faculty, who are focusing on sustainability and climate change, could be affected by these decisions.
On his first day back in office, Trump declared a national energy emergency, directed the executive branch to repeal rules that limited fossil fuel consumption and took steps to curb offshore wind energy projects. Trump also withdrew from the Paris Agreement and repealed several of Biden’s executive orders on climate change and energy.
However, for University members concerned about climate change, energy and environmental sustainability, there’s a great deal that remains unknown.
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“It’s pretty unclear what will happen,” said Abigail York, a professor and the director of research at the School of Human Evolution and Social Change.
York referred to her work on climate and energy in Alaskan and Appalachian communities. She said the factors for increasing fossil fuel production are complex, but there won’t be as big of an impact as expected.
York said the intention of the executive orders is presumably to show that change is happening “but not to actually have clarity in how that will play out, at least not yet.”
Sonja Klinsky, an associate professor at the School of Sustainability, reinforced York’s perspective on potential challenges.
“This is going to be a very contentious, very messy, very drawn-out set of battles,” Klinsky said.
The companies building offshore wind farms and similar projects are likely to challenge the executive actions, Klinksy added.
York anticipated responses and challenges from states implementing new energy and climate change policies as well.
Shaela Patel, a sophomore studying biological sciences and co-president of the Sustainability Club at Barrett, sees the executive orders as a potential threat to her classmates’ livelihoods.
“Will there be an opportunity for them to work in the conservation field?” Patel said.
Patel said there has been a newfound tension since the election. In the club, Patel said the tone and attitude toward their mission changed, describing the attitude as “more depressing and a little bit more apathetic.” In her own major, she noticed a shift in her classmates’ outlook, saying she and her classmates didn’t feel as empowered.
Faculty members are facing a different concern as a result of the initial wave of executive action by Trump — the efforts to cut grants that fund academic research. Although the executive action was rescinded, faculty are still worried about future changes in policy.
“There’s going to be a shift in what’s funded through our agencies, and that will affect what we do and how we do it,” York said.
For Klinsky, the threat to research funding is of national concern.
“The United States has a choice,” she said. “It can continue to invest in education and research so that it can be a global leader, or it can fall behind.”
York, Klinsky and Patel are all considering what comes next.
Klinsky said her role within the University will remain unchanged, as she focuses on her own research in the field.
“To some extent, it allows us to more deeply understand the challenges of trying to move toward a more sustainable and resilient future for the United States,” Klinsky said. “But at the same time, our fundamental role as faculty stays the same, which is to do the best, most objective research possible.”
York said she is hopeful the University will find a solution and move forward, and Patel is interested in improving the immediate community.
“We try and focus on the things that we can make a difference in, which is the Barrett community and the fact that ASU is No. 1 in sustainability,” Patel said. “There’s a home for us, even if the national government doesn’t want to appreciate that.”
Edited by George Headley, Abigail Beck and Katrina Michalak.
Reach the reporter at coyer1@asu.edu and follow @carstenoyer on X.
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