PARIS GETS TRUMPED.

The election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency has alarmed many environmentalists, and has provoked anxiety and speculation about where U.S. climate and energy policy is headed under a Trump administration. Such speculation has been rampant particularly in context of the 22nd Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change in Morocco that concluded last week.

The outrage among environmentalists surrounding President-elect Trump relates to his statements that climate change is a “hoax.” A “hoax” can be defined as a deliberately fabricated falsehood designed to deceive a large group of people. Perhaps Trump is referring to one of these two hoaxes related to climate change:

The attempts by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Obama administration and the media to mislead people into thinking that all climate change and extreme weather are caused by humans.

Or, the propaganda from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the U.S. government that has misled people into thinking that the committed emissions reductions will have a beneficial impact on the 21st century climate, even though the government climate model calculations indicate a trivial change in global temperatures from these emission reductions.

Climate has always changed and will continue to do so; the key questions are to what extent humans have contributed to the recent warming, and whether humans can do anything to significantly change the trajectory of future warming by eliminating the emission of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels. These are issues that are hotly debated by scientists, engineers, economists and policymakers. So in terms of climate “hoaxes,” perhaps it is not Donald Trump’s whose pants are on fire.

So what can we expect from Trump’s administration on environment, climate and energy? Trump has made some very clear statements on these topics in recent months. Before the election, he answered questions from ScienceDebate.org related to climate change. Trump stated that there is still much that needs to be investigated in the field of climate change. He argued that perhaps the best use of our limited financial resources should be in focusing our efforts on clean water and increasing food production, and on developing energy sources and power production that alleviate the need for dependence on fossil fuels. “We must decide on how best to proceed so that we can make lives better, safer and more prosperous,” Trump said.

Trump’s campaign website issued a “Position Statement on Energy” that clearly states his priorities of making American energy independent, creating millions of new jobs, protecting clean air and clean water, and conserving natural habitats, reserves and resources. While his statement did not focus on reducing carbon emissions, he did support the use of natural gas and other American energy resources that will both reduce emissions, but will also reduce the price of energy and increase U.S. economic output. The statement also encourages environmental protection at the state and local level.

Yes, Trump’s rhetoric and likely policies on the topic of climate change and energy signal a change from President Obama’s policies. However, with or without President Trump, the Paris agreement on climate change will undoubtedly continue to promote progress on reducing emissions and increasing climate resilience, within the limits of what nations and individual states in the United States regard as achievable and in their best interests.

Trump’s election provides an opportunity for a fresh look at the wicked climate change problem by opening dialogue on climate science, the issue of the government ruling carbon dioxide an “endangerment” to human health, the social cost of carbon, technologies, and consideration of a broader range of policy options.

Climate activists would do well to find common ground with the Trump administration on topics that he supports: clean water and air; stewardship of federal lands; energy independence; and building 21st-century infrastructure.

OPENING DIALOGUE ALLOWS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A FRESH LOOK AT THE WICKED CLIMATE CHANGE PROBLEM.