As part of a flurry of changes during his first week in office, President Donald Trump stated plans to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. This is unsurprising given that he took the U.S. out of the Accord during his first term as President, only for President Biden to rejoin the international climate treaty. He also stated plans to end the country’s international climate funding.
The back and forth between the U.S. and the international community, in terms of energy and climate change, has left many wondering what this move will mean for the U.S. and the rest of the world in the coming years.
U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement was adopted by 196 Parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, France, in 2015, and entered into force in November 2016. Its overarching goal is to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”
The Paris Agreement is legally binding, and all member states are expected to strive to achieve the shared aims of limiting the causes of global warming outlined in the pact.
On Trump’s first day as president, he signed an executive order to remove the U.S. from what he called an “unfair, one-sided Paris climate accord rip off.” He also signed a letter to the United Nations providing notice of the U.S. exit, which began the withdrawal process.
The move will take a year to come into effect. The only other countries not to have signed the treaty are Iran, Yemen, and Libya.
On his first day in office, President Trump stated, “The United States will not sabotage its own industries while China pollutes with impunity. China uses a lot of dirty energy, but they produce a lot of energy. When that stuff goes up in the air, it doesn’t stay there … It floats into the United States of America after three and a half to five and a half days.”
The withdrawal doubles down on Trump’s election pledges to halt the green transition in favor of higher fossil fuel production. Trump called Biden’s efforts at boosting U.S. renewable energy capacity “the green new scam” and pledged to “drill, baby, drill” when it came to oil.
Trump said he would remove all limits on the U.S. oil and gas industry to support growth. Although this pledge has not been met with the optimism that may have been expected from many industry leaders.
The Global Response to the Withdrawal
In response to Trump’s decision to leave the Paris Agreement, several world leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to the treaty over the last week. The move by the U.S. is expected to hinder global efforts to meet the 1.5°C global warming commitment set out in the agreement.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, “The Paris Agreement continues to be the best hope for all humanity. So, Europe will stay the course and keep working with all nations that want to protect nature and stop global warming.”
The U.K.’s Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary, Ed Miliband, said he aimed to “find common ground” with Trump but that he believes it is still in the U.S.’s “national self-interest” to tackle the climate crisis. “We are strong supporters of the Paris Agreement,” Miliband said. “I believe this transition [to renewable energy] is unstoppable.”
Meanwhile, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, stated, “Climate change is a common challenge faced by all of humanity. No country can remain unaffected or solve the problem on its own. China will work with all parties to actively address the challenges of climate change.”
Private Sector Stepping In
Shortly after the announcement of the withdrawal by Trump, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s philanthropic organization said it would provide funding to help cover the U.S. contribution to the U.N. climate body’s budget.
The organization stated, “Bloomberg Philanthropies and other U.S. climate funders will ensure the United States meets its global climate obligations.”
Bloomberg, who serves as a U.N. special envoy on climate change, said, “From 2017 to 2020, during a period of federal inaction, cities, states, businesses, and the public rose to the challenge to uphold our nation’s commitments – and now, we are ready to do it again.”
Nevertheless, the U.S. has demonstrated perhaps the most progress towards a green transition worldwide in recent years, thanks to its commitment to renewable energy and clean tech. The introduction of the U.S.’s most far-reaching climate policy to date, the Inflation Reduction Act, under the Biden administration, spurred billions in investment from the public and private sectors for green energy and related projects. If this progress is halted, it is likely to harm the efforts of the Paris Agreement, even with Bloomberg’s financial contribution.
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