Assessing U.S. Environmental Policymaking in the Trump and Biden Administrations

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Session Description

The purpose of this roundtable discussion is to bring together top scholars in the fields of science, technology, public administration, and environmental policy to assess the most significant developments in environmental policymaking in the aftermath of the Trump Administration and in the first years of the Biden Administration. Possible topics of discussion are the reliance of both administrations on administrative decision making, and the roles of Congress, the EPA and other federal agencies, the courts, and the states in shaping environmental policymaking and implementation. Participants will also discuss promising approaches to studying environmental policy in 2022 and beyond.

This proposed roundtable addresses the conference theme of “Rethink, Restructure, and Reconnect: Towards A Post-Pandemic Political Science.” With the U.S. relinquishing its leadership role on environmental matters during the Trump years, we find ourselves at a critical juncture. To this point, the Biden administration has placed greater emphasis on science, is more open to innovative policy approaches, and is more willing to address climate change and issues of sustainability and environmental justice. But our ability to respond to a host of environmental problems is threatened by political polarization and increasingly by threats to democracy itself. This is, therefore, a critical time for political scientists across the discipline, as we seek to understand the intersection of policy processes and political dynamics and consider how policymakers can build upon existing best practices and technological innovations in an effort to address environmental ills. Environmental problems are, in many ways, fundamental to societal well-being, and are inextricably linked to issues of equity and social justice. As such, the topics addressed by this roundtable are among the most critical topics confronting scholars in the STEP section.

Sub Unit

• Division 25: Public Policy

Cosponsor

• Division 39: Science, Technology, and Environmental Politics

Chair

• Michael E. Kraft University of Wisconsin, Green Bay

Presenters

• Robert J. Duffy Colorado State University

• Daniel Fiorino American University

• Susan Opp Colorado State University

• Barry G. Rabe University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

• Sara Rinfret Northern Arizona University