By: Nick Santangelo

With 97 percent of scientists agreeing that anthropologic climate change is very much real, it seems like the debate is largely over. But while the science may be settled, the politics are not, with facts yet to fully overcome values for some Americans. It was with those realities in mind that the History Department's weekly Teach-In event last week zeroed in on the struggle for climate leadership in the age of President Donald Trump. First, Pennsylvania State Director of Defend Our Future Caroline Burkholder set the stage by painting a bleak picture.

Dark Days

"It's not just Trump," Burkholder said. "There are a lot of people in the Trump administration who, if they're not outright deniers, have at least expressed skepticism at some of the science."

She proceeded to rattle off a long list of climate-denying administration members:

• Vice President Mike Pence
• Attorney General Jeff Sessions
• Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney
• Administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon
• Administrator of NASA Jim Bridenstine
• Assistant Secretary of Energy Bruce Walker
• Secretary of State Nominee Mike Pompeo
• Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen
• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson
• Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke
• Secretary of Energy Rick Perry

The list goes on. "And, of course, the worst of all is one Mr. Scott Pruitt," Burkholder said of the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

She quoted Pruitt as saying humans have flourished the most during times when the planet warmed, adding that he refuses to agree that man-made carbon pollution is "a primary contributor" to temperature increases. Burkholder then shared some trends of Pruitt's EPA that will worry anyone concerned about anthropologic climate change:

• Half of his appointees have fossil fuel industry ties.
• His EPA has filed 30 percent fewer cases and levied 60 percent fewer fines.
• He asked for a six-year schedule to review 17-year old regulations on lead paint.
• He has only filled six out of 13 key leadership positions.

"He literally made it a requirement that all scientists who have received EPA funding can't get on the board," Burkholder added.

Not only is the administration refusing to continue making progress in the fight against climate change, but it is actively rolling back previous efforts. President Trump announced that he was pulling the United States out of the Paris Agreement. On March 15, 2017, he announced his intention to roll back strict fuel standards. Meanwhile, Pruitt plans to repeal the Clean Power Plan that aims to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. And on the day of Trump's inauguration, there was instantly a 55 percent decrease in mentions of climate change on the EPA's website.

On the Bright Side

But it's not all doom and gloom for climate advocates. Burkholder noted that 170 members of Congress have called for Pruitt's removal from office, with Pennsylvania's own Senator Bob Casey (D) leading a similar effort in the Senate. And a recent survey showed that 69 percent of state residents want to see state policies enacted that support renewable energy sources over fossil fuels. Local actors across the country have had to step in to fill the national void.

"While the federal government has been a mess in taking action, there's been a very strong local movement," said the day's other presenter, Temple University Director of Sustainability Kathleen Grady.

Over 400 mayors, including Philadelphia's Mayor Jim Kenney, have agreed to uphold the Paris Agreement's goals. Philadelphia will seek to reduce emissions by 26 to28 percent by 2025, lower emissions associated with the city's buildings by 50 percent by 2030 and generate or purchase 100 percent of the city's electricity from renewable sources by 2030. These are costly endeavors, but Grady believes they're necessary ones for combatting climate change.

"Mayor Kenney really was very firm in this," she continued. "He made a huge announcement that Philly was still going to be adopting the greenhouse gas emissions standards."

What's more, being environmentally friendly doesn't always mean being economically harsh. Over $12 million will be saved by becoming more energy efficient, and 10,000 jobs will be created in the clean energy sector. Additionally, a program called Solarize Philly aims to make it more affordable for private citizens to take climate action by lowering the cost of solar panels through group buys.

Through a number of initiatives, Temple University is doing its part too:

• In 2008, Temple committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
• The university plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2030.
• Temple is ranked 25th in the U.S. for green power by a university.
• The university has six LEED buildings.
• Temple has invested millions into energy efficiency projects.
• Temple is home to the first on-site solar project at a Philadelphia college or university.

"Temple itself has a made a strong commitment to climate action," said Grady.

She added that while "there is a lot of work that needs to be done" by both individuals and local institutions like Temple, it's impressive that Temple has "made substantial progress" and met all of its interim emissions goals while still expanding significantly in square footage and student enrollment.

The Future of Climate Action

One major expansion is the new library being built on 12th Street. A student working on a thesis paper about lead abatement asked if there was reason to be concerned about the library's construction given all the dust clouds it's kicking up.

Grady responded that this was happening "in an environmentally favorable way," and that there was an erosion management plan in place. Further, the new library will be a gold-certified LEED building when it's completed.

The library is far from the only new construction around campus, though. Another student questioned whether or not stricter environmental regulations were being put in place for all the new construction and wondered what the energy output for these buildings will be.

Grady explained that getting this right starts with the design process. When designing buildings, Temple considers LED technology, lighting controls, building controls, C02 sensors, high-performance HVAC systems and more. The point of all this is to bring in "only the amount of fresh air that we need to because the amount we bring in has to be conditioned, and that takes energy, so we only bring in the amount that we need."

Several students wanted to know what they could personally do to fight for better climate protections. The speakers recommended that everyone consider what energy provider they're using in their home, explaining that there are different levels of environmentally friendly options depending on each student's economic means. Phila.gov and PA Power Switch both give users options for selecting eco-friendly providers.

Grady also recommended students join organizations around campus like TSG, SEA, TCG, Net Impact and/or Defend Our Future. But ultimately, anyone who truly cares about climate action needs to vote for politicians who will fight for it.

"I think in 2018 we can send a really strong message, and it needs to happen," said Grady of the upcoming mid-term elections.

Burkholder agreed, pointing out that students need to vote for the right candidates at every level of government, not just in the Senate and House of Representatives.

"If we can figure out a way to get state governors and local municipalities to turn over to more blue/green, then we'd be in good shape," said Burkholder.

Students shouldn't wait until November to take action, either. Pennsylvania's 2018 primaries will be held in just a few weeks on May 15.