Preservation of national interests by putting the cause of the global community on the brink of destruction can be examined by most of the countries in the contemporary international scenario. Particularly, the leading economic powers have been setting the trends from WWI to WWII, from Palestinian crisis to Kashmir crisis, from embarking on the civil war in the Middle East to Yemen crisis, from breaching Iranian nuclear deal to sale devastating military equipment, and from the war on terror to holding the highly respected and powerful office in the USA by President Trump. The self-centered approach has clinched the psychic patterns of the policy makers of multiple countries who are instigating and adding fuel to the fire in economic, political, and ecological spheres just for the sake of temporal national interests by threatening interests of the global community. Trump’s cabinet is one of them which are prioritizing and serving their national interests at the expense of the interests of the global community. Especially, the climate change policy of Trump is putting the whole human race and planet on the verge of destruction.
The world has been afflicted by severe climatic variations such as extreme weather, higher temperatures, droughts, floods, wildfires, storms, sea level rise, soil degradation, acidifying oceans, and extinguishing of millions of species. However, all leaders of the world have accepted the reality of global warming, other than President Trump. All of them- except Trump- not only have accepted the role of human actions in climate change and warming the planet but also pledged to the request of UNO to reduce Co2 emission by taking stern measures. But, Trump passed the short-sighted and hilarious statements about global warming such as “we should be focused on magnificently clean and healthy air and not distracted by the expensive hoax that is global warming”; “Give me clean, beautiful and healthy air not the same old climate change bullshit! I am tired of hearing this nonsense”. In early 2019, he expressed in a tweet, “what the hell is going on with global warming [sic]? Please come back fast, we need you”.
He delivered the 3rd longest speech in the state of the union that lasted eighty-two minutes, but he did not even mention “climate change” or “global warming” in spite of knowing that the USA is generating about 15% of global carbon emission. In fact, the slogan of America first, announced and later on followed by President Trump is misrepresenting the American nation, its founding fathers and their intellectual as well as political legacy. For instance, the 1st American president and founding father -George Washington- also followed the policy of “America First” adding the principle of “non-intervention” in his foreign policy to save American interests and to thwart American involvement in others’ wars. The same policy was extended by his precedents such as Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson and many other presidents who extended the same policy of protecting American interests peacefully and wisely.
Their policy not only protected American interests but also gave a boom to the American economy by building a good and prestigious repute of the American nation as well as her influence in the regional and global political spectrum. But the attitude and policies of President Trump is not only posing a grave threat to American interests but also confiding her influence and role in global politics in a broad spectrum. The policies may be fruitful for a short span of time, but not at all for the long term. His extensive rebuttals from international commitments and pledges are degrading the USA that the country never observed in the past. His view in 2017 to withdraw from the Paris Accord, ending Iran’s nuclear deal, and shorting down US drone by Iran recently are the blatant examples that have been disrespecting and reducing American role during the reign of Trump.
Even, the rebuttal remarks of Trump about climate change are increasing the threat to the National security of the United States. According to a report, published in 2019, and issued by the Department of Defense, seventy- nine US military installations around the world are under threat because of harsh climatic variations such as recurrent flooding, drought, desertification, wildfires and thawing permafrost. Furthermore, the report revealed the constantly expected difficulties in conducting military operations in Africa, Europe, Arctic and elsewhere. Even, former US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis warned about climatic resistance by stating, “Climate Change is impacting stability in areas of the world where troops are operating today ….. It is appropriate for the combatant commands to incorporate drives of instability that impact the security environment in their areas into their planning”. Interestingly, the US intelligence community also believes in the expected threat by climate change to US interests. Director of national intelligence, Daniel Coats reported in 2018, change to global climate systems would raise the risk of humanitarian disasters, conflict, water, and food shortness, population migration, labour shortfalls, price shocks, and power outages”.
President Trump should play his role in bringing peace. In spite of following myopic approach, he should restore American prestige and honour that was transformed by American founding fathers, by fulfilling commitments of his precedents, especially reducing CO2 following the Paris Agreement. All other leading powers should also prefer the interests of the global community in spite of chasing their national interests at the expense of interests of the whole world. The inclusion of philosophy of “reverence for life” presented by Albert Schweitzer should be made mandatory by UNO for all countries regarding climate change and dealing nature ethically. If we do not fight against global warming collectively, outcomes of industrialized and nationalized policies -which are the aggravating the condition- will be more lethal for our generations. That is not the time to think, but to act.
The writer is a student of Legal Studies & Senior Content Writer in Wangard International- a IT Solutions company in Lahore.
Ch.changezi.sandhu111@gmail.com
The slogan of America first, announced and later on followed by President Trump is misrepre-senting the American nation, its founding fathers and their intellectual as well as political legacy.
