Donald Trump’s state visit ‘to emit 2,619 tonnes of carbon dioxide’. That is the same amount of greenhouse gases emitted by an average UK home over 970 years.
Donald Trump’s state visit will produce as much carbon dioxide as an average British home does in 970 years.
That’s the verdict from renewable energy supplier Pure Planet, which has calculated the US President’s trip to the UK will emit 2,619 tonnes of carbon dioxide. The President, the First Lady, family members and officials arrived on two Boeing 747 jets, which together will emit 979 tonnes of extra carbon dioxide to the atmosphere on their journeys between London and Washington DC.
The transport while President Trump is in the UK will also have a significant impact – two identical seven-seat armoured limousines dubbed The Beasts have a fuel economy of just four miles per gallon, meaning they will emit 1.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide while they are here.
The study suggests the rest of the 30-car motorcade will pump out an additional 4.3 tonnes of greenhouse gases from driving around – however, the big chunk of emissions the fleet is responsible for happened when it was transported over to the UK in an estimated four cargo planes, sending out 1,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the air.
Many of the 1,000-person entourage, which includes secret service agents, staff, military aides and members of the press, also use helicopters to get around, emitting an estimated total of 35 tonnes of carbon dioxide. The dietary requirements of such a large volume of people and the related carbon footprint is also likely to have a significant effect on emissions.
Steven Day, Co-Founder of Pure Planet, said: "President Trump’s state visit is equivalent to almost a millennium’s worth of emissions from a typical home. It is a staggering large amount. “Trump has said climate change is a Chinese hoax but this is no joke. The emissions from this state visit are vast."
Donald Trump believes the US has a 'clean climate'. He had informed Prince Charles in a 90-minute conversation that the US right now has among the cleanest climates there are based on all statistics, and it’s even getting better because I agree with that we want the best water, the cleanest water.
Well, let's debunk these believes with some facts:
Greenhouse gas emissions
The US is still the world’s second biggest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions, having been overtaken by China more than a decade ago. In per capita terms, however, the US far outstrips China, though it comes below some Middle Eastern states with tiny populations and vast fossil fuel industries. While carbon emissions have been falling, in part because of the switch from coal to gas, Climate Tracker estimates that the US will fail to meet its carbon reduction targets set by Barack Obama, to cut emissions by 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025.
Fracking
The US is now one of the world’s biggest gas producers, thanks to fracking, and about half of its oil now comes from the production method, which requires the blasting of dense shale rock with water, sand and chemicals to release the tiny bubbles of fossil fuel trapped inside. This boom has come at a cost, as the vast water requirements are draining some areas dry, and pollutants found near fracking sites include heavy metals, chemicals that disrupt hormones, and particulates. The effects range from memory, learning and IQ deficits to behavioural problems. Leaks of 'fugitive' methane are an additional contributor to climate change.
Fossil fuel exploration
Not content with the US’s existing conventional oil reserves, and the expansion of the oil and gas industries through fracking, the US fossil fuel industry is seeking new grounds for exploration – among them, the pristine Alaskan wilderness. Drilling in the Alaskan wildlife reserve is a key Trump policy.
Fuel efficiency standards
The Trump administration has moved to loosen regulations on fuel efficiency for cars and vans, which were already less stringent than in many other countries. Opponents fear this will increase greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
International cooperation
Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement of 2015 cannot legally take effect until after the next presidential election, in an irony of timing. However, the effect can already be seen, in the emboldening of other nations considering a withdrawal, such as Brazil, formerly a strong proponent of action at the UN talks, and the increasing influence of fossil fuel lobbyists.
Climate denial
With the president claiming climate change to be a 'Chinese hoax', it is perhaps not surprising that the US has some of the highest rates of climate denial in the world. Despite this, a sizeable majority of the US public – nearly six in 10 people – still agree with the science on climate change, and support action to stave off the worst consequences.
Despite Trump’s claim that 'we want the best water, the cleanest water' – it’s crystal clean, has to be crystal clean clear, his recent actions on water have been an attempt to roll back decades of progress on cleaning up the US water supply. Last December, he announced plans to undo or weaken federal rules that protect millions of acres of wetlands and thousands of miles of streams from pesticide run-off and other pollutants.
Air
By rolling back Obama-era measures intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, the Trump administration is also threatening to increase air pollution, as coal-fired power stations will be able to spew out toxins once more, according to 14 states who last year opposed the Environmental Protection Agency’s plans. This is in contrast with China and India, cited by Trump – along with Russia – as having polluted air. Those nations are trying to clean up their pollution with stricter limits on what power plants
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