Trump poses challenge to UK environmental policies
The PM will be tempted to shift the UK a little in Donald Trump's less environmentally aware direction, writes Adam Boulton.
Tuesday 31 January 2017 14:52, UK
As the Prime Minister heads to Washington DC later this week, the inauguration of Donald Trump poses challenges for the British Government's long-standing policies on the environment.
Successive British governments - Labour, coalition and Conservative - have long been signatories to international agreements to cut carbon emissions and reduce other kinds of pollution.
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But during his presidential campaign, Donald Trump dismissed man-made global warming as a "hoax" created by the Chinese.
He has since modified his position to say that "nobody knows" whether it is real - even though 97% of independent peer-reviewed scientific papers accept that it is happening, according to the UN Climate Change Committee.
Within hours of Mr Trump's swearing-in, the new administration removed Barack Obama's Climate Action Plan and Waters of the US rule from the White House website and replaced it with an "America First Energy Plan".
This new plan promises "to maximise the use of American resources" and to eliminate "burdensome regulations on our energy industry".
By doing so, Mr Trump's administration claims it will raise wages by $30bn in seven years and generate trillions of dollars for investment in infrastructure.
It does not mention climate change or global warming, although it does say the US's need for energy "must go hand-in-hand with responsible stewardship of the environment".
Mr Trump's nominations to the key environmental cabinet posts are also people who have spent their lives fighting regulation.
The President chose Scott Pruitt, a lawyer with ties to oil companies, to head the Environment Agency. Mr Pruitt made his reputation fighting pollution cases against the regulators.
Texas governor Rick Perry, who has been nominated energy secretary, once wanted to abolish the department and is an enthusiastic supporter of more oil drilling.
Meanwhile, secretary of state nominee Rex Tillerson says he believes in man-made climate change but is unlikely to champion causes such as "Our Oceans" with as much enthusiasm as his predecessor John Kerry.
On Tuesday, Paste BN launched its Ocean Rescue campaign to cut back on the single use of plastic.
It is estimated that by 2050 the amount of plastic in the world's oceans could weigh more than the entire fish population. Plastic also degrades and enters the food chain with deadly consequences.
Bill Carteaux, head of the US Plastic Industry Association, has welcomed the "very positive things" Mr Trump has been saying and said he expects the President's administration will "unlock the potential" of American plastic production, which is linked to petrochemicals.
So far Theresa May has not officially changed the Government's stance on environmental protection. But she has downgraded its status in the ministerial pecking order.
Last week, 100 leading scientists sent Mrs May a letter asking her to urge Donald Trump to honour his predecessor's commitments on climate change.
But the Prime Minister wants to court Mr Trump to strengthen the special relationship. Like him, she also says the priority must go to making the economy deliver for everyone.
She will be sorely tempted to shift the UK a little in his less environmentally aware direction.
:: You can find out more about Sky Ocean Rescue and get involved by visiting the campaign's website and you can also watch our documentary, A Plastic Tide.