The Climate Abyss: Trump, Oil, and the Resistance of a Fragmented United States

By, Renato Zimmermann - rena.zimm@gmail.com

The oil industry is a labyrinth that traps humanity. It sustains economies, but corrodes the future. And at the center of this dilemma stands Donald Trump. Re-elected president of the United States in 2024, Trump chooses to act as a “luxury office boy” for the fossil fuel industry rather than lead an energy transition.

The Climate Abyss: Trump, Oil, and the Resistance of a Fragmented United States

Before occupying the White House, Trump had already presented himself as a picturesque figure on television a “boss” who took pleasure in firing employees on camera in the reality show The Apprentice. The catchphrase “You’re fired!” became entertainment. The cruel irony: now he fires international commitments vital to the planet.

As a fan of The Simpsons, I remember how the series once anticipated Trump as president of the United States. At the time, it seemed like an inconceivable joke, a satire meant to provoke laughter. But the caricature became reality and worse, a re-elected reality.

The Absence of the U.S. at COP30

COP30, held in Belém, brought together 194 delegations but without the United States. The absence was met with fears of weakened negotiations, but also with a sense of relief among environmentalists who feared denialist pressure. American companies, however, participated independently, showing that the private sector does not necessarily follow the White House’s script.

Withdrawal from the IPCC and International Organizations

Trump ordered the United States to withdraw from 66 international organizations, including 31 linked to the United Nations among them the IPCC. The IPCC is the world’s leading scientific body on climate change, responsible for consolidating data and guiding global policy. Abandoning it is like throwing away the instruction manual in the middle of a fire. Experts described the move as a “colossal own goal.”

Polarization and Collective Delusion

Polarization in the United States fuels a true “collective delusion”: part of the population believes that rolling back environmental commitments is a sign of sovereignty. Trump has described climate change as “one of the greatest hoaxes of all time,” reinforcing denialist narratives.

Geopolitics as a Chaotic Chessboard

Geopolitics has always been complex, but today it resembles a chessboard that has fallen to the ground, mixing all the pieces. There is no clear strategy—only chaotic moves that favor immediate interests. The U.S. withdrawal from international institutions weakens multilateralism and undermines global cooperation.

A Strategic Mistake

Trump is steering the United States toward the edge of the abyss—and dragging all of humanity with it. By abandoning the IPCC and COP30, the country that has historically emitted the most greenhouse gases isolates itself. Governments have a duty during their mandates: to protect the future of their citizens. Trump, however, prefers to protect the fossil past.

The United States and International Credibility

The contrast between the federal government and subnational states reveals that the U.S. is living through an internal war over its climate future. While Trump insists on being the oil industry’s “office boy,” California and New York try to preserve the country’s international credibility. But time is running out for everyone: either we clean fossil fuels out of the economy, or we will become lost pieces on this chaotic chessboard.

The Climate Abyss: Trump, Oil, and the Resistance of a Fragmented United States