A new analysis by ProPublica and the Guardian has found that Donald Trump's 'America First' climate agenda could lead to as many as 1.3 million additional temperature-related deaths worldwide by the end of the century. The study uses sophisticated modelling to estimate the human cost of the Trump administration's rollback of climate regulations and expansion of fossil fuel production.
The vast majority of these deaths are expected to occur in poor, hot countries in Africa and south Asia, which have contributed little to climate change but are least prepared to cope with rising temperatures. The analysis calculates the 'mortality cost of carbon' based on peer-reviewed science, accounting for heat-related deaths minus those saved from reduced cold exposure.
The figure represents only a fraction of the estimated 83 million temperature-related deaths projected from all human-caused emissions if climate pollution is not curtailed. It does not include deaths from droughts, floods, wars, or other climate impacts. The US, with 4% of the world's population, has produced 20% of its greenhouse gases.
Trump's policies have reversed many climate initiatives, including cutting tax credits for clean energy, easing pollution rules on coal plants, and expanding drilling on federal lands. A White House spokesperson defended the approach, calling it opposition to the 'Green Energy Scam'. Critics say the policies prioritise corporate interests over global lives.
