U.S. and European politics and pollution
The intersection of U.S. and European politics with pollution, particularly greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reflects differing governance models and societal priorities. The United States is responsible for approximately 15% of global GHG emissions, while the European Union (EU) contributes around 6%. In Europe, environmental issues are often viewed through a social and political lens, leading to stronger collective action and regulations aimed at reducing emissions. For instance, the EU has set ambitious targets for emission reductions, striving to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2030, with many member states exceeding their previous commitments.
In contrast, U.S. political culture emphasizes individual rights and free-market solutions, which has historically resulted in slower progress on environmental regulations. Although some states have implemented stricter pollution controls, national efforts have been hampered by political gridlock and a prevailing belief that market forces will correct environmental issues. Recent legislation, such as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, marks a significant shift towards addressing climate change at the federal level, but the fragmentation and checks within the U.S. political system can complicate prompt action.
As public awareness of climate change grows, both regions are seeing increasing pressure on political leaders to incorporate environmental policies into their platforms, reflecting a potential shift towards more unified and proactive approaches to tackling pollution. Understanding these dynamics can illuminate the broader context of global environmental efforts and the role of democratic governance in shaping climate policy.
U.S. and European politics and pollution
The United States accounts for about 15 percent of the world’s GHG emissions, while the twenty-seven countries of the European Union account for about 6 percent. The technological capabilities and innovative potential of these nations create an opportunity for major reductions in GHG emissions, but such reductions would almost certainly need to be mandated by the American and European governments, subjecting them to the vagaries of democratic political practices.
Background
Politics is a social choice mechanism established to create an orderly society. Democratic theory assumes that people will vote for candidates who will best serve the interests of the people. Most European countries and the United States are well established democracies in which the choice mechanisms of politics and economics freely interact. Environmental concerns, including climate change, are a part of both the political and economic arena. In Europe the environment tends to be seen as social/political, while in the United States it is economic.
European Politics and Policy
Most European countries use some form of the parliamentary system. In a parliamentary system, the majority party can usually pass its desired laws and implement its desired policies because the same person leads the legislative and executive branches. When the citizens of a country push for policies to limit climate change, it happens much more quickly. Having had a relatively high population density for centuries, the human effect on the environment seems to be more easily understood by Europeans. When evidence that human activity caused climate change became clear, Europeans generally responded to it much more quickly than Americans.
As a whole, the fifteen members (in 1997 when the was signed) of the European Union are expected to reduce their GHG emissions by eight percent from 1990 levels. The European Union allocated this among its members, as it understood that not all countries could reduce their emissions the same amount. The two most industrialized countries in Europe, Germany and the United Kingdom, created about 50 percent of the GHG emissions. However, they volunteered to accept more than their share of GHG emission reductions to lead the community. Throughout Europe, whether conservative or liberal parties govern, they accept much tougher antipollution standards than does the United States. The United Kingdom had already met its 2012 goals prior to 2008, as was the case for Finland, France, and Sweden. The European Parliament passed the necessary legislation to set up an network to add market pressures for GHG emission reductions. Overall, Europe has come to the understanding that the rights of the community outweigh the rights of individuals when it comes to GHG emissions and climate change. In 2023, the European Union committed to reducing its greenhouse gases by at least 55 percent by 2020, compared to levels in 1990. If it can do this, Europe would become the first climate-neutral continent by 2030.
United States Politics and Policy
In the United States, the dominant economic view is that the individual has most of the rights in determining how to make use of the environment. This does not mean that there are no regulations, but when in doubt, the individual’s rights are generally seen as stronger than the community’s. This is the case with pollution controls and GHG emissions. While leading European countries were reducing their GHG emissions, the United States’ emissions increased by 16 percent from 1990 to 2004. Some states, such as California, have enacted laws to try to contain pollution; others continue with few regulations. Texas has the highest GHG emissions of any US state. According to Environment America in 2023, if Texas were a nation, it would be the eighth-largest emitter in the world.
The basic stance of many politicians is that the free market economy can take care of any problem, including GHG emissions. If consumers do not want products made by polluting factories, they will buy other products. When it becomes more economical to use nonpolluting technologies, then businesses will use nonpolluting technology. This does not lead to a strong anti-GHG emission policy.
A second problem in creating change in the United States is the fact that the American political system has more checks and balances than do most European systems of government. Thus, the separate executive and legislative branches are often in conflict, even when controlled by the same political party. No major piece of environmental legislation was passed during the presidencies of Bill Clinton or George W. Bush. The year the Kyoto Protocol was negotiated, the US Senate passed a resolution stating it would not ratify it. President Clinton signed it and said the United States would strive to reach its goals under the agreement; however, President Bush rescinded this effort. In 2003, the Senate for the first time actually allowed GHG limit legislation to reach the floor for a vote. In 2005, Congress passed a resolution calling for GHG limits consistent with a free market economy. Other legislation has been passed in the United States since then. The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act was the most significant climate legislation in US history. It allotted nearly $400 billion to reduce the country's carbon emissions over the next decade. In 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required coal-fired power plants to reduce their GHG emissions by 90 percent by 2032.
Context
While the collective effect of actions by individuals can make a significant difference in global warming, national policies can make changes much more rapidly. With scientific predictions of increased global warming affecting all forms of life, a rapid response to the situation is needed. If the major nations of the world take the initiative to combat global warming, the possibility to avert catastrophic consequences increases greatly. However, democracies only respond to the will of the people. When political parties believe that support of policies combating climate change will help them win elections, these policies become incorporated into a party’s platform. It has been several decades since all political parties have accepted the need to provide clean water for the citizens and proper sewage treatment. More recently, lower atmospheric air quality became a common concern and laws were passed regarding many types of air pollution. With the developing concern regarding GHG pollution, stronger citizen expressions of that concern are being made. As these expressions become more widespread, it is logical to assume that most political parties will incorporate GHG reduction into their stated goals. When this happens, decisions on global warming policy will no longer be seen as a political action. Combating climate change will be seen as a nonpartisan action, like ensuring a safe water supply, which is a proper area of governmental involvement.
Key Concepts
- European Union: a supra-governmental organization to which many European countries belong and that has been given many powers traditionally associated with national governments
- green politics: a political orientation founded upon environmental concerns
- greenhouse gases (GHGs): gases, such as carbon dioxide, that tend to keep heat in the atmosphere rather than allowing it to dissipate into space
- parliamentary system: the system in most European countries, where the chief executive of the government (the prime minister) is elected by the members of the legislative body
- presidential system: the system in the United States, where the chief executive of the government (the president) is elected by the people
Bibliography
Compston, Hugh, and Ian Bailey, eds. Turning Down the Heat: The Politics and Climate Policy in Affluent Democracies. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.
Gerrard, Michael B., ed. Global Change and U.S. Law. Chicago: American Bar Association, 2007.
Jaggard, Lyn. Climate Change Politics in Europe: Germany and the International Relations of the Environment. New York: Tauris Academic Studies, 2007.
Klyza, Christopher McGregory, and David Sousa. American Environmental Policy, 1990-2006: Beyond Gridlock. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2008.
Lewis, Michael. "The Top Ten Biggest Global Warming Polluters in Texas." Environment America, 3 Apr. 2023, environmentamerica.org/texas/articles/texas-and-global-warming-where-are-greenhouse-gases-coming-from/. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.