One of the most disastrous moves the current administration has made was backing out of the Paris Agreement. The Agreement was a multi-national movement to reduce global fossil fuel use and increase use of renewable energy such as solar and wind power. The agreement was not legally binding on an emissions basis, but rather a show of unity among world leaders that climate change is an issue worth taking action against. Its main goal is to keep the global temperature under 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above what average pre-industrial temperatures were, according to the BBC. The agreement also charges rich countries, like the United States and China, to assist poor small island countries, like Puerto Rico, with financial support when climate change related disasters befall them. Our presidents withdrawal from the Paris Agreement simply sends a bad message to the international community. Therefore, it is our place, as citizens to step up and put environmental preservation as a top importance.
The powerful hurricanes that hit both the US and Puerto Rico are perfect examples of why a national switch to renewable energy is so important. According to the New York Times, as of late October, still nearly 80 percent of the country still lacks electricity. There are some important ways that our support of this country in renewable resources could have avoided this tragedy. Firstly, one does not have to transport the sun or wind to areas of need. Access to electricity during a crisis is incredibly important for medical response in particular. Microgrids, or decentralized electricity plants, are incredibly effective at preventing blackouts in countries such as India and Cuba. Microgrids powered by solar are less likely to fail in floods or hurricane weather than those powered by fossil fuel or coal. Usually during these situations, roads are blocked and fuels that have to be transported cannot make it to where they are most needed. Secondly, renewable resources can save an incredible amount of money. Not only are transportation costs reduced to practically zero, but installing a solar farm is simply a one time cost and begins to pay for itself as soon as it turns on. The University of California saved over $8 million in a year after installing their own microgrid to power the campus. Poor countries in the Caribbean spend billions on fuels that have to be delivered to their islands.
While our president has decided that he does not want to prepare to save people by moving towards a renewable and self-sustaining future, that does not mean we the citizens have to share that view. Governor Cuomo has put around $360 million dollars towards making New York a more green state. As a member of the New Paltz community, you can contact your senator, John Faso, by email at his website https://faso.house.gov/contact/ or by phone at (202) 225-5614 and show your support for a more efficient United States.
Resources used: NYTimes:https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/23/opinion/hurricane-puerto-rico-electricity.html