Donald Trump has picked Mike Pompeo, former CIA director, to be the new Secretary of State of the USA, the New York Times reported. This news comes following the ousting of Rex Tillerson from the role. Trump reportedly announced Tillerson's replacement via Tweet three hours before he called to formally inform him of the news. This kind of shuffling of staff has become a trademark of the Trump administration and continues to indicate instability within the White House.
Pompeo, who has been chief of the Central Intelligence Agency since early 2017, was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 during the Tea Party era.
He has argued the case for mass surveillance, the merits of torture and waterboarding, supported the death penalty for notorious whistleblower of mass US surveillance Edward Snowden and is an outspoken Climate Denier.
The Trump administration has proven their opposition to global climate initiatives
During the 14 months that the Trump administration has been in office it has shown clear opposition to global climate initiatives. Trump has even made jokes wishing for more global warming. The current consensus on climate science has proven the negative impact of human activities on climate change. The Trump administration discrediting this consensus has resulted in a national rhetoric which has seen the scientific community vilified as leftist sensationalists.
The signing of the Paris Climate Agreement in April of 2016 set benchmarks and goals for climate change prevention worldwide and set a precedent for the commitment of global powers to protect the earth and the delicate ecosystems which provide for its inhabitants. In a now notorious move, the Trump administration announced its intention to withdraw from this groundbreaking agreement in June 2017.
Through this action, the US has shown a commitment not to the future of the planet and the young people who will inherit it, but to the oil, natural gas, and animal agriculture lobbyists who donate massive amounts of money to shape policy in their favor.
Pompeo as Secretary of State is bad news for the environment
It is no surprise then, that the administration has picked Pompeo for the job.
Pompeo is a known climate denier and perpetuates denialist dialogues. In relation to the Paris Climate agreement, Pompeo said countries were bowing to 'radical extremists,' and that the accord was a 'costly burden.' Pompeo has also been known to accept large sums of money from oil giants Charles and David Koch, individuals known for their opposition to climate initiatives in order to protect the oil and natural gas industry.
These two factors indicate to those concerned that Pompeo is not only the wrong man for the job if the US aims to move forward on this matter, but also that he may actively oppose climate initiatives. If he continues to receive funds from oil and coal industry lobbyists, Pompeo will likely protect the interests of the fossil fuel industry from any initiative or legislation that caps emissions, introduces the carbon tax, or removes government subsidy from oil and agriculture industries; all of which are key actions in the move toward reducing and reversing climate change.
