On 20 January 2017, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the forty-fifth president of the United States. His previous announcements on energy policy mark a clear departure from the climate policy ambitions of his predecessor, Barack Obama. But what exactly should we expect from Trump’s climate and energy policies? Sonja Thielges explains. Will he really be able to overturn the climate policies adopted by the US under the Obama Administration? And if so, what would be the implications of this for international efforts to protect the climate? This much is clear: under the US constitution, the new president has the power to revoke many of the measures introduced by Obama – a move that could undermine international climate protection efforts. But whether that will be politically feasible is by no means certain. Progress on international climate action under Obama During Barack Obama’s two terms of office, the USA emerged as an important driver of a global transition to sustainable sources of energy. The United States is now a major donor in international climate finance and has initiated … Continue reading Donald Trump and the future of climate protection