4 reasons not to completely despair about climate change in 2017

The world is ready to resist Trump's climate change denialism

Despite the current administration's stance on climate change, many are willing to continue the fight.
(Image credit: David McNew/Getty Images)

The end of 2016 has not been a sunny time for climate activists.

As the Trump administration takes shape, it has become crystal clear that the president-elect's climate change denialism will soon become de facto U.S. policy. And Trump will not only have many options for rolling back the progress President Obama made to curb carbon emissions, he already is putting in place the personnel to do it. Trump's proposed picks include: for head of the EPA, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, who is currently suing the agency; for secretary of the interior, Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), who despite his support for protecting public lands, is lukewarm on climate issues; and, for state department secretary — the face of the United States in international climate negotiations — Rex Tillerson, the CEO of ExxonMobil who is locked in a battle with the descendants of the oil company's founder over its role in distorting the evidence of climate change.

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Neil Bhatiya

Neil Bhatiya is a Policy Associate at The Century Foundation, where he works on issues related to U.S. foreign policy, with a specific focus on South Asia and climate change.