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Al Gore: Trump has had 'less of an impact on environment so far than I feared'

Al Gore: Trump has had 'less of an impact on environment so far than I feared'
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Former Vice President Al GoreAlbert (Al) Arnold GoreKey McConnell ally: Biden should get access to transition resources CNN acquires Joe Biden documentary 'President in Waiting' Former GSA chief: 'Clear' that Biden should be recognized as president-elect MORE said Monday that President TrumpDonald John TrumpBen Carson says he's 'out of the woods' after being 'extremely sick' with COVID-19 Biden will receive @POTUS Twitter account on Jan. 20 even if Trump doesn't concede, company says Trump to participate in virtual G-20 summit amid coronavirus surge MORE has not damaged the environment during his first 18 months in office as badly as he feared.

Gore, a Nobel Peace Prize winner for his anti-climate change efforts, told The Associated Press that Trump's administration has, however, done "some damage" by undoing a slew of environmental regulations, including many put in place by the Obama administration.

“[Trump] has had less of an impact so far than I feared that he would," Gore said. "Someone said last year his administration is a blend of malevolence and incompetence.

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“I think they’ve made some mistakes in some of the moves they’ve made," he continued. "The courts have blocked some of what they wanted to do as a result.”

The Environmental Protection Agency under Trump has been roiled by scandal. Former Administrator Scott PruittEdward (Scott) Scott PruittBiden to enlist Agriculture, Transportation agencies in climate fight Democratic lawmaker calls for DOJ investigation of entire Trump administration OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Trump races clock on remaining environmental rollbacks | New Interior order undermines conservation bill Trump campaigned on, critics say | Trump administration to further advance lease sales at Arctic refuge: report MORE resigned last month after new scandals about his misuse of taxpayer funds trickled out over the course of a few months.

Gore expressed optimism that public opinion could blunt some efforts from the administration to further deregulate the environment.

“It’s hard for one person, even the president, to change things very quickly if the majority of American people don’t want them changed," he said.

Trump has touted his administration's ability to roll back regulations at a record pace. Earlier this month, the president proposed a plan that would weaken the Obama administration’s aggressive fuel economy and global warming standards for cars.

In his first year in office, Trump announced he was withdrawing the U.S. from the landmark Paris Climate Accords, in which member nations pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and make other efforts to combat global warming.

The president recently confounded environmentalists with a series of tweets arguing California's environmental policies are making the state's raging wildfires worse, an argument scientists have dismissed.