TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY • June 2, 2024
Two-thirds of the way through Thursday night’s presidential debate, CNN journalist Dana Bash finally asked the candidates how they would tackle a challenge that scientists say poses an existential threat to human civilization: climate change. Donald Trump made a series of false claims about his first-term track record. “During my four years, I had the best environmental numbers ever.” The reality: U.S. air quality and water quality have been steadily improving for decades, thanks to federal laws such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. But scientists have found that polluted air and filthy water still afflict tens of millions of people with disease and premature death. And during his first term, Trump attempted to roll back limits on air and water contamination from power plants, trucks and other sources. He’s made it extremely clear he would do the same in a second term.