Trump and the billionaires he represents have stepped up their profiteering rampage. The mounting attacks on environmental regulations and the right of states to apply their own regulations will lead to an acceleration of worldwide environmental destruction.
This is an attempt to return to a time when the politicians openly ran the country without regard for anything but increasing profits. Workers faced workdays of 12, 14, or more hours under incredibly harsh conditions. Children were maimed and killed in the factories and mines. Women had no rights. Race and ethnicity dictated your place in that world. The Earth was something to tear apart to extract the resources. The waste went into the ground, water, and air, poisoning life on the planet.
These destructive ways have been challenged, but not yet defeated. The movements for a better life have changed things, especially our understanding of the world and what is possible. Some rights for working people have been gained. Racism, sexism and other exploitative divisions have been challenged. Gains were made that put some limits on damage to the environment. But we have also seen how these gains can be undermined or overturned.
In the past weeks, Trump has set his sights on the laws and regulations that were won by the workers’ and environmental movements. Unlike most other politicians, he doesn’t hide his motives and goals. He promised the billionaire class, especially the fossil fuel companies, that the days of regulations are over for them. This will guarantee the hundreds of billions of dollars of profits they are counting on as more of our Earth is opened to oil and gas extraction; as pollution regulations are pushed aside; and as clean air and water standards are eliminated. They think the resources of the Earth are theirs to take.
Before Trump, Democrats and Republicans represented the same corporate interests they do now. But they were not as blatant. They were concerned about future elections and some understood what the consequences of the continued heating of the planet would be.
Our Earth is under attack and everything possible must be done to preserve the ecosystems and life as we know it. With fossil fuels as the primary source of energy, increasing production means putting more carbon in the atmosphere, leading to even more heating of the planet. Scientists have agreed that an increase exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius (about 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) in global average temperatures will have particularly drastic consequences. Last year was the first year to exceed that threshold.
As a result, we are experiencing a massive disruption of our environment. The oceans are warming, ice sheets are melting, the air is warming and carrying more moisture. This is responsible for many of the extreme weather events that we are witnessing – hurricanes, massive rainstorms, flooding and more. For inland areas, extreme weather events are leading to drier environments and massive fires. Rivers are drying up and farmland is turning into desert. The rate of extinction of species is occurring at an alarming rate.
Science tells us what needs to be done: stop relying on fossil fuels as an energy source. And this is where the conflict between profiteering and life emerges. Trillions of dollars are invested in these companies. The reported profits of Exxon Mobil were $76 billion in 2024. Those who profit are not going to accept to lose that income nor lose the trillions of dollars invested in the continued production of oil and gas.
Protecting this system of capitalist production is what is behind the attacks we are seeing, including the ability to produce information (science), the right to relay the information (media and the right to speak); the right to oppose the destruction of our Earth (free speech and assembly); the right to move if your home is being destroyed (migration) and more.
Our future is under attack. Over the past weeks and months, we have seen the beginning of what could be a mass movement. Those in the government and those who are no longer in office, will not defend us. Our future can and should be in our hands. What happens is up to us.
People are demonstrating against the attacks we are facing, including on the environment. Earth Day is April 22. There will be demonstrations that we can take part in. Or we can start our own.
