CLIMATE CHANGE/EPA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE/SCOTT PRUITT: “Despite announcing plans to pull out of the Paris climate accord, President Donald Trump’s language and that of his EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, seem at odds with the actions he proposes taking.
‘We will be environmentally friendly,’ the President reassured.
The next day, Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency administrator stood at the podium in the White House press briefing room and touted America’s commitment to curbing climate change: ‘From 2000 to 2014, we reduced our carbon footprint by up — over 18%. And that’s been largely accomplished through innovation and technology, not government mandate. So, when we look at issues like this, we are leading with action and not words.’
Pruitt described the United States as a leader in clean energy that would continue to lead by helping other countries reduce their own carbon emissions by exporting US technology.
‘Export our innovation, to export our technology to the rest of the world, to demonstrate how we do it better here is, I think, a very important message to send,’ Pruitt said.
But despite the language, there’s an apparent contradiction when it comes to the administration’s actions. Some environmental advocates say while the Trump administration is promising to continue to lead the world in energy innovation, it is at the same time proposing cutting the very federal programs that fund clean energy innovation research intended to combat climate change.”
-Rene Marsh, “Trump administration touts innovation, cuts funding for it,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, June 3, 2017 12:04pm