Environmental issues were conspicuously absent from the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign, but moves by President-elect Donald Trump’s first administration and his leadership picks for his next administration offer clues to what may be ahead.
They point to a second Trump administration likely loosening regulations on industries, particularly oil, gas and petrochemicals, giving them wider permission to pollute.
Some actions will be overt. But history suggests this administration may also try to use the language of science – terms such as transparency, citizen science and uncertainty – to weaken environmental and health protections and write regulations more favorable to industry.
