Image courtesy of WikiMedia Commons
By Siona Ahuja ’24
Staff Writer
The following article highlights globally significant policies, commitments and contracts undertaken in the past year by governments and large corporations.
Republic of Palau, Western Pacific Ocean
In April 2020, the Republic of Palau, an archipelago of 500 islands in the Pacific, became the first nation to ban all ingredients and preservatives in sunscreen deemed toxic to its coral reefs and the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon. “We have to live and respect the environment because the environment is the nest of life, and without it, nobody in Palau can survive, ” President of Palau Tommy Remengesau said to the international news agency Agence France-Presse.
Europe
New European laws compelled the French government to levy heavier taxes on SUVs and trucks, increasing the penalty from 12,500 euros (around $15,000) to 20,000 euros (around $24,000). In October 2020, it was announced that SUVs weighing more than 1800 kilograms would be subjected to an additional tax. This “weight tax” was introduced via the Citizens’ Convention on Climate set up by French President Emmanuel Macron. The heavier a car is, the more materials and energy it consumes and pollutes. SUVs represent more than 38 percent of vehicle sales in the country, according to WWF France. Pushing for a shift to electric vehicles, the French government is not applying these taxes to hybrid or electric cars but instead offering hefty subsidies on purchases of electric cars. Through this policy, the French Finance Ministry seeks to gain an extra 50 million euros a year in revenue, which could help automakers shift to cleaner cars.
Thailand
In early 2020, Thailand introduced environmental reforms and banned multiple types of plastics. The plan is projected to completely end the use of cap seals, microbeads, single-use plastics bags, plastic cutlery, polystyrene containers and oxo-degrading plastic by 2037. Thailand is one of five countries that contribute to over half of all plastic residue in oceans. Ongoing outrage over excessive plastic use was ultimately sparked in 2019 when two animals, a dugong and a wild deer, died after ingesting plastic.
Mexico
Mexico City welcomed 2021 by banning single-use plastics after a yearlong preparation. According to the capital city’s environmental agency, Mexico City produces more than 7 million tons of plastic per year, most of which either does not get recycled or is non-recyclable. The government’s aim for the first few months is to inform unaware citizens rather than impose fines upon them.
China
In September 2020, under pressure from global environmentalists, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged that China would become a carbon-neutral nation by 2060. This was a surprising announcement. For years, China has advocated that it, along with other developing countries, should not be subject to the same restrictions as developed countries for curbing greenhouse gas emissions. “We aim to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060,” Xi stated to the United Nations. Lauri Myllyvirta, a lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, told The New York Times that this commitment is “potentially enormous.”
United States
On April 16, the Environmental Protection Agency officially weakened the legal baselines in place to regulate mercury and other toxic emissions from coal- and oil-fired power plants. This change would shift the cost-benefit analysis of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards completed during the 2012 Obama administration that reduced mercury emissions by 87 percent nationwide. Experts believe that, since regulations have not been wiped out entirely, short-term damage regarding emissions may not be caused. New and potentially looser regulations of curbing mercury could be created, presenting a massive public health threat, as emissions are directly linked to brain damage.
In May 2020, the Ohio Power Siting Board approved the construction of the nation’s first freshwater wind farm on Lake Erie. This contrasts with regular turbines constructed on saltwater shores, paving the way for new power-generating technology. The construction came with a catch, as there is a requirement that all six turbines be “feathered” or stopped overnight for eight months a year from March 1 through Nov. 1. This may change if the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation can prove that the structure will not be a high risk to migratory birds and bats.
On July 15, former President Donald Trump weakened the National Environmental Policy Act by aiming to lower the number of infrastructural projects that would be subject to its review, potentially accelerating several federal projects such as building pipelines, highways and power plants. “People have a right to weigh in before a highway project tears up their neighborhood or a pipeline goes through their backyard,” Gina McCarthy, president and CEO of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said. “Steamrolling their concerns will mean more polluted air, more contaminated water, more health threats and more environmental destruction.”
One of the most pronounced policy decisions made under Trump’s presidency was the U.S. exiting the Paris Agreement. This decision was overturned hours after Joe Biden was officially inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2021. The U.S. rejoined 196 other parties in committing to keep global warming to less than 1.5-2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.
On Jan. 27, the Biden administration announced a moratorium on new federal oil and gas leasing while the administration reviews the existing leasing program and its consequent environmental impacts. Biden also signed an executive order to repeal the approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline construction, which extends from Canada to the U.S. These policies have been streamlined to meet Biden’s environmental campaign promises and mark a reversal from the Trump administration’s developmental promises.