United States Leaves the Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement was originally signed in 2016 by 196 countries (Wikimedia)
The United States formally left the Paris Agreement on November 4 following President Trump’s announcement of the country’s withdrawal in 2019. Participation in the agreement required “all Parties to put forward their best efforts through nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and to strengthen these efforts in the years ahead. This includes requirements that all Parties report regularly on their emissions and on their implementation efforts.” The United States’ withdrawal does not have an immediate impact on global warming, but it will isolate the United States from the rest of the world’s efforts to combat climate change. The agreement, established internationally in 2016, allows countries to set their own goals in order to prevent a global temperature rise of 2 degrees this century.
When President-Elect Joe Biden takes office, he can authorize the United States to rejoin the agreement; however, developing policy that will allow the country to reach its pre-established goals will require much more action. According to AP, the U.S. Energy Information predicts that “in 2025 [United States] emissions will be at 4959 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, 17 percent below 2005 levels, about 500 million tons short of the goal.”
The withdrawal was met with international condemnation as the United Nations Body issued a joint statement alongside Chile, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom which stated, “There is no greater responsibility than protecting our planet and people from the threat of climate change. The science is clear that we must urgently scale up action and work together... we remain committed to working with all U.S. stakeholders and partners around the world to accelerate climate action.”
Furthermore, the European Union is currently working to develop a stricter set of climate proposals—most notably the EU Green Deal, which has the goal of making Europe carbon-neutral by 2050—potentially hoping to lead the global climate effort. According to a separate AP article, “Germany, which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said it was important for Europe to lead by example now that the United States had left the pact.” However, according to the same report, many experts are worried that other countries may pull out of the agreement, seeing the United States’ actions as a signal that they do not have to fulfill the goals they established in 2016.
With Biden currently making plans for his transition to the White House, he will likely rejoin the Paris Agreement shortly after being sworn into office. Nevertheless, the politicization of the international agreement from one of its leaders has the potential of weakening its strength in the long term.