By Meryl Phair ’21
Environmental Editor
As ballots were counted, the United States hung in an unprecedented election limbo for results that would define political, social and economic landscapes for the next four years. In the midst of national uncertainty, President Donald Trump made an announcement on Wednesday, Nov. 4 that would further complicate the future of national and global action: the official withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement.
The Paris Agreement was established under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and agreed upon at the 2015 U.N. Climate Change Conference, or COP 21, held in Paris, France. The agreement brings together nations in setting ambitious carbon emission goals to mitigate the worsening effects of climate change and establish support systems for developing countries to do the same. Specifically, the Paris Agreement aims to keep average global temperatures for this century from rising by 3.6 F (2 C), reaching no higher than 2.7 F (1.5 C) from pre-industrial levels. While the agreement is non-binding and does not require signed countries to undertake defined protocols and policies, it coalesces each nation’s emissions pledge into a single assembly that further promotes cooperative action. The agreement recognizes that while countries have a responsibility to take action, nations must set their own goals based on their respective capacities with the understanding that their commitments will be strengthened over time. Out of the 195 countries that initially signed the Paris Agreement, 189 have since officially adopted its framework. The only countries that have signed but have yet to adopt the agreement are Angola, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, South Sudan, Turkey and Yemen. The U.S. is the only country to back out of the agreement.
Withdrawal has been a lengthy process for the Trump administration. Trump ran on campaign promises of withdrawing from the agreement, claiming that it would negatively impact U.S. energy companies and a nation that relies on affordable energy.
“The Paris Accord would undermine our economy, hamstring our workers, weaken our sovereignty, impose unacceptable legal risks, and put us at a permanent disadvantage to the other countries of the world,” Trump said in a statement issued in the Rose Garden on June 1, 2017, in which he officially announced his plans to terminate U.S. ties to the agreement. According to U.N. law, a country cannot formally begin the exit process until three years after an initial agreement is made, which, for the U.S., was Nov. 4, 2016. The finalization of the notice, filed immediately by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, then takes a full year. One day after the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the U.S.’ withdrawal was officially confirmed by the U.N.
While the withdrawal holds serious implications for the environment, the recent election of former Vice President Joe Biden is expected to significantly change climate policies enacted under the Trump administration. Biden has pledged to recommit the U.S. to the Paris Agreement immediately following his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021, meaning the incoming Biden administration could potentially notify the U.N. of the U.S.’ intent to rejoin that day. That notification would take 30 days to become official. Crafting a realistic set of proposals to meet 2030 emissions targets in advance of the next U.N. Climate Change Conference, COP 26, scheduled to take place the first two weeks of November 2021, in the U.K. will be more challenging for the incoming administration. The U.S. could also decide to remain outside of the Paris Agreement, taking on an observer status where representatives would be permitted to be present at meetings and collaborate with countries, but would not be in the officially recognized position to vote in decision-making processes.
No longer committed to the coalition of nations dedicated to crafting policies and building infrastructure in response to the ever-looming threat of global warming, U.S. absence from the pact creates significant challenges on national and international scales. The most devastating effects of climate change are disproportionately felt by developing countries that have the least impact on rising greenhouse emissions. The U.S. is one of the biggest contributors to environmental damage as the world’s wealthiest country and largest emitter of carbon emissions. As such, the U.S. bears greater responsibility than most in curbing emissions and developing comprehensive policies that will ensure the long-term sustainability of human activity on Earth.