What could the future of environmental and climate policy in the U.S. look like under a continued Donald Trump administration or a new Joe Biden presidency?
Mark Nevitt is an associate professor of law and an expert in environmental and climate change law at Syracuse University’s College of Law. Professor Nevitt says the divide will be sharp between the two possible leaders.
Nevitt says:
“There is a sharp divide between the Biden administration and the Trump administration on climate and environmental policies. Under Trump’s current EPA Administrator, Andrew Wheeler, the administration has rolled back numerous environmental regulations. A second-term Trump administration would continue to roll back environmental regulations and fast-track major projects. Any discussion of climate change has been absent from the Trump presidency and campaign.
“In contrast, a Biden administration would likely seek to do two things on climate—one international and one domestic. Internationally, a Biden administration would most certainly re-join the Paris Climate Accord, an executive agreement that the Trump administration is in the process of withdrawing from (the Obama Administration negotiated this landmark international agreement in 2015). As a legal matter, re-joining the Paris Agreement does not require Senate advice and consent. As the world’s largest historic greenhouse gas emitter, having the U.S. integrated within the Paris Accord serves as a critical step for follow-on climate efforts.
“Domestically, the Biden Administration would certainly push to pass domestic climate legislation to better regulate greenhouse gas emissions with the goal of massively reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (so-called ‘net zero emissions’).”
To request interviews or get more information:
Daryl Lovell
Media Relations Manager
Division of Marketing and Communications
T 315.443.1184 M 315.380.0206
dalovell@syr.edu | @DarylLovell
The Nancy Cantor Warehouse, 350 W. Fayette St., 2nd Fl., Syracuse, NY 13202
news.syr.edu | syracuse.edu
Syracuse University
Fourteen student-athletes will experience Washington, D.C., next week as part of a new Maymester program hosted by the Syracuse University Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship (IDJC). The one-week program, Democracy Playbook: DC Media and Civics Immersion for Student-Athletes, will…
A new collaboration with Advance Local will provide Newhouse School journalism students opportunities to write and report on investigative projects with local impact for newsrooms across the country. The David Newhouse Investigative Reporting Fellowship program, which launched this year in…
Lauren Woodard, assistant professor of anthropology, has received the Spring 2025 Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES) First Book Subvention for her upcoming book on Russia’s migration policies on the Russia-China border. Woodard’s book is titled “Ambiguous…
The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs has earned the No. 1 overall spot in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Public Affairs Schools rankings. This year’s top ranking follows Maxwell’s yearlong celebration of its founding 100…
Over the last decade, Richard Alexander L’82 has navigated his chosen profession (the law) and his chosen passion (Syracuse University and its law school) through incredibly challenging waters. As partner, managing partner and chair of one of the nation’s most…
If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.
