With the news that President Donald Trump’s administration is to pull the United States out of the the Paris Climate agreement, one of Trump’s senior advisors decided to leave his role. That man is Elon Musk, the creator and mastermind behind PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla and SolarCity. As one of the most important figures in the field of technology and engineering in the world today, the Trump administration has undoubtably lost a key player and visionary with regard to our planet and it’s future.

Having made millions through the success of PayPal, changing the face of the financial industry in the process, Musk set his sights on space exploration through SpaceX. SpaceX was formed with the hope that human life could be expanded from beyond Earth. Musk’s innovation and investment resulted in the manufacturing of rocket technology.

Partnering SpaceX with NASA allows increased travel between earth and in the international space station, despite the United State’s governments reduction in funding. Having reduced the cost of space travel by up to 80%, Musk set his sights on revolutionising the motor industry with the electronic and environment friendly, Tesla. Musk reinvented the electronic car and destroyed perceptions, with Tesla models now very common sights on the road and providing a significant green alternative for car buyers.

Elon Musk is without doubt, one of the most influential figures to emerge in the twenty first century. Despite being close to bankruptcy on numerous occasion and with all of his companies experiencing initial failures, Musk has proved that through hard work and dedication, the ability for his companies to grow was more than possible. He has proven that it is possible to create viable alternatives to the use of fossil fuels, which have greatly effected the health and future of the planet.

Although Musk may no longer have the ear of the President in the White House, the work he continues to do should fill us with hope that the future is not all but lost. The fossil fuel industry is the biggest in the world with the power and influence these companies exercise greatly harming our environment. With the likes of Musk having a bigger impact with governments around the world, the introduction of carbon taxes and the reduction of fossil fuels could still be a thing of the future, even if Donald Trump remains in the house white.