In 2015, the United States, along with 194 other countries, signed the Paris Agreement, a global effort to combat climate change. The agreement aimed to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further, to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
However, in June 2017, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the agreement, prompting widespread criticism and concern from the international community.
So why did the United States get out of the Paris Agreement?
One of the main reasons cited by the Trump administration was the economic impact of the agreement. They argued that the Paris Agreement would place undue financial burdens on American businesses and workers, particularly in the coal and oil industries.
Critics of this position pointed out that the economic benefits of transitioning to clean energy sources would far outweigh any short-term costs. In fact, a report by the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate found that pursuing a low-carbon growth strategy could increase global GDP by $26 trillion by 2030.
Another reason given by the Trump administration was the perceived lack of fairness in the agreement. They argued that developing countries were not doing enough to reduce their own emissions, and that the United States was unfairly shouldering the burden of climate action.
Critics of this argument pointed out that the United States is one of the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions and has a responsibility to take action. Additionally, the Paris Agreement included provisions for financing and technological assistance to help developing countries transition to clean energy.
Finally, some members of the Trump administration simply denied the science of climate change, arguing that it was not a significant threat to the planet. This position has been widely criticized by scientists and the international community, who point to the overwhelming evidence of climate change and its devastating impacts on ecosystems and human societies.
In the end, the decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement was a deeply divisive and controversial move by the Trump administration. While the reasons given for the decision were hotly debated, the fact remains that the United States is no longer a party to this critical global effort to address climate change.