As we approach the U.S. presidential election, the global business landscape stands at a critical juncture, especially regarding climate change, environmental impacts, and energy management issues. With candidates including Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. presenting distinct policies and visions, the outcome of this election will significantly influence strategic business decisions worldwide.
Environment+Energy Leader is launching a global survey to gauge the opinions of business leaders across all industries on which presidential candidate they believe will best support their business goals in these critical areas. This survey is an opportunity for you to express how you think the next U.S. president could shape the regulatory and economic landscape affecting sustainability and energy management.
Your insights are invaluable, and selected responses may be featured in our upcoming articles throughout 2024. Insights may be shared anonymously or attributed directly to you, providing a platform for your voice to be heard in a global dialogue.
We recognize the importance of this election not only to our U.S.-based readers but also to our expansive international audience. The policies enacted by the next U.S. president will reverberate through global markets, regulatory environments, and investment landscapes, potentially reshaping how companies operate worldwide.
In the following section, we will delve into a brief summary overview of the environmental and energy policies of the presidential candidates. Our focus is strictly on their stances and historical or proposed actions within these critical areas, intentionally setting aside other political and personal controversies that often dominate the discourse in politics today.
This approach ensures a clear comparison based on topics directly impacting sustainability and energy management, which are central to our readership. While we recognize that broader political dynamics and personal issues may influence a candidate’s effectiveness in office, our analysis will focus solely on their environmental and energy agendas to maintain relevance and neutrality pertinent to our specialized audience.
In addition to evaluating the policies of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, our coverage will extend to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Given Kennedy's not insignificant polling numbers and the anticipation surrounding his campaign as potentially the most impactful third-party candidacy since Ross Perot in 1992, it is essential to consider his views and proposals, as well as the effect that his strong polling will likely have on the overall presidential race and outcome. Kennedy's inclusion in our analysis provides a broader perspective on the available choices for voters concerned with sustainability and environmental and energy management. We aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the candidates poised to shape U.S. policies on these critical issues.
President Joe Biden’s administration has introduced robust policies to combat climate change and promote sustainability. The critical aspects of Biden’s environmental strategy include significant financial investments in clean energy and infrastructure, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, representing the largest climate change investment in U.S. history. His administration has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with an interim goal of reducing emissions by 50–52% from 2005 levels by 2030.
Biden has also utilized the Defense Production Act to spur domestic production of clean energy technologies. This act supports U.S. manufacturing of critical components like solar panel parts and grid infrastructure. His policies emphasize strengthening the nation’s grid, boosting the clean energy sector, and creating good-paying jobs while ensuring community resilience.
Furthermore, the Federal Sustainability Plan under Biden’s direction aims for sweeping sustainability measures across federal operations, including achieving 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2030 and transitioning to zero-emission vehicles for federal use by 2035.
Donald Trump’s environmental and energy policies approach has consistently emphasized energy independence and economic growth over climate concerns. His administration’s “America First Energy Plan” focused on deregulating and bolstering the fossil fuel industry, including reviving the coal sector, expanding offshore and public land drilling, and rolling back numerous environmental protections.
Trump’s policies aimed to undo many of previous administrations’ climate and environmental regulations, arguing that these were economically restrictive. Notably, he withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. He repealed the Clean Power Plan, replacing it with the Affordable Clean Energy rule, which allowed for increased carbon emissions from power plants. His administration also actively reduced federal oversight and constraints on oil, gas, and coal production, claiming these actions would lead to greater job creation and energy cost reductions.
Just this month at a campaign rally, Trump promised attendees an executive order on day one stopping offshore wind development. These actions reflect a broader view skeptical of mainstream climate science, as Trump and several of his appointees in his previous administration questioned the impact of human activities on climate change and prioritized economic gains associated with fossil fuels.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has had a long-standing career as an environmental lawyer, heavily advocating for sustainable practices and policies. As a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and founder of the Waterkeeper Alliance, Kennedy has worked extensively on issues such as water conservation and protecting natural resources across the Americas.
He has been instrumental in negotiating treaties that protect indigenous lands and has been recognized for his efforts in securing the environmental integrity of New York City’s water supply through stakeholder consensus and sustainable development practices.
Throughout his career, Kennedy has been a vocal opponent of practices that harm the environment, leveraging his legal background to support ecological conservation and the fight against pollution. His environmentalism gained him recognition as a “Hero for the Planet” by Time magazine, illustrating his significant contributions to environmental advocacy. Learn more about Kennedy’s stance on environmental issues and regenerative agriculture.
We encourage you to share your perspectives. Your insights are invaluable in understanding our community’s stance on these crucial issues and shaping the coverage and discussions we host here at Environment+Energy Leader. Your engagement helps us better represent your concerns and interests in sustainability and energy management. Participate in the survey here, and let your voice be heard on which candidate you believe will best support the environmental and energy goals crucial for our future.
