Trump election would be a disaster, Green Party’s O’Gorman warns

The re-election of Donald Trump as US president in today's election would be a disaster for the US, Ireland and the planet, Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman warned.

During his campaign, Mr Trump has called climate change a “hoax” and “one of the great scams of all time”. He also promised to scrap clean energy projects, incentives for electric cars and unleash a “drill, baby, drill” wave of oil and gas projects. The US is already the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter after China. 

“It is vital that Donald Trump does not win this election. Tragically, the flooding in Spain has reminded all of us just what climate change means for ordinary people. The next few years will be crucial for the future of the planet. A Trump victory would be a disaster because he will encourage fossil fuel use in the US when they need to reduce use. It will also be a disaster because US backsliding on commitments will discourage other countries from cutting emissions.”

The Green Party leader said Mr Trump plans to lead another US retreat from global climate diplomacy. Mr Trump told voters last year that he will abandon the Paris Agreement which he claimed was “horrendously unfair”. He has also said he intends to direct government agencies to begin repealing and replacing climate regulations if elected.

Mr O’Gorman warned that a Trump victory would harm the prospects for the United Nations climate negotiations in Baku that begins six days after the US presidential election.