Document Type
Thesis
First Faculty Advisor
Bryan Knapp
Second Faculty Advisor
Stephanie Mott
Keywords
blueprint; sustainable; world
Publisher
Bryant University
Rights Management
CC-BY-NC-ND
Abstract
According to President Joe Biden, "Climate change is an existential threat to humanity" (Biden, 2020), one that requires the fullest attention from leaders within the international community. Research into the impacts of anthropogenic behavior on the climate began as early as the 1870s. When the clean energy movement generated support in the 1980s, fossil fuel companies responded to protect their existing business model that a transition to renewable energy would dismantle. Within the United States, through the suppression of information and lobbying of politicians, fossil fuel companies turned the concept of climate change into a partisan issue. Based on scientific research from the United Nations, the world has just over seven years remaining to achieve net zero carbon emissions before the damage done to the earth becomes irreversible (Levin et al, 2023). This research process will derive information from scholarly articles, books, research studies, and government organizations to determine how partisan politics within the United States have impacted the global response to climate change. The study looks to demonstrate the importance of United States leadership in multilateral climate policy in achieving a smooth transition to a high-powered clean energy sector. Additionally, it highlights the country’s vested interest in leading reform efforts to be first movers into the renewable energy space, all while regaining trust within the international community after pulling out of the Paris Climate agreement in 2017.
Included in
Biology Commons, Finance and Financial Management Commons, History Commons, Political Science Commons
