Den konfliktfyllda amerikanska klimatpolitiken

Abstract

The Divisive American Climate Policy

At the inauguration day of President Joe Biden, the United States re-entered the Paris Agreement and soon thereafter a pledge was made to cut greenhouse gas emissions by half to 2030 and reach climate neutrality to 2050. The radical shift from the policy of the previous president is an illustration of how deeply polarised the climate issue is the United States. This article discusses the background of this polarisation, identifying its roots in the 1970s energy crisis. From this time on, the Republican party has been deeply entwined with fossil fuel interests, and these connections were further entrenched during the fracking boom. The prospect of overcoming the polarisation on climate is to a great extent dependent on a potential shift in attitudes to climate change among young republican voters and the growth of renewable energy, particularly in states dominated by the Republican party.