The destructive policy decisions of the Trump administration have been endless in just about every sphere of society. This is certainly the case when it comes to protecting the environment. The colossal shortsightedness of this regime meant that legislation ensuring clean air and water was weakened, protected areas were opened to development, and the accursed border wall that Mexico didn't pay for was pushed through ecologically sensitive areas. The US withdrew from the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change established in 2015, abdicating its key role in global leadership in the Climate Emergency.
It was perverse that the Trumplican orcs continued their dark agenda until the end, but a ray of hope came in the form of an auction of oil and gas rights in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. This is key habitat for a number of species, including the caribou herd which doesn't recognize national borders and migrates through Canada as well. The auction held on January 6th, the Day of Epiphany, fizzled with only $14 million in bids rather than the $1.8 billion hoped for. None of the big oil consortiums bothered to participate, which is very encouraging.
During these bleak four years Christian environmental and Creation Care organizations and many denominations urged contacting legislators to register concern, as well as engaging in prayer for a change of heart. Well, the people have spoken and "stop the steal" now means that the theft of protected lands can be reversed and the future of today's children and generations to come can be a priority. President-elect Biden has already promised a return to the Paris Agreement and will reverse some of the other foolish decisions of the past four years.
Our prayers are still needed, Groundlings, but we have reason to believe that more epiphanies will issue from an incoming administration which seems to grasp that ecology and economy are not opposed but are vital to each other.
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