President Trump Serves Formal Notice To Quit Paris Agreement On Climate Change

Finally, the Trump administration formally notified the United Nations on Monday that the United States quit from the Paris Agreement on climate change, and now without the cooperation of the largest economy of the world, global climate diplomats have to plot a way forward., the Trump administration formally notified the United Nations on Monday that the United States quit from the Paris Agreement on climate change, and now without the cooperation of the largest economy of the world, global climate diplomats have to plot a way forward.

Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State, announced the notification on Twitter and issued a statement stating that the burdens on the economy of the United States would be intolerable due to the accord.

“The U.S. approach incorporates the reality of the global energy mix and uses all energy sources and technologies cleanly and efficiently, including fossils fuels, nuclear energy, and renewable energy,” Mr. Pompeo said.

The result of the 2020 election will ultimately determine American participation in the Paris Agreement, and for the supporters of the pact, planning is required for a future without American cooperation. Mr. Trump, already mocked climate science as a hoax, and now will act as opposed to the global efforts to move away from fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas.

Without the world’s superpower, keeping up the pressure to meet the kinds of economic change necessary to tackle the worse effects of global warming will be much harder.

“Yes, there are conversations. It would be crazy not to have them,” Laurence Tubiana, who served as France’s climate change ambassador during the Paris negotiations, said in New York recently, adding, “We are preparing for Plan B.”

In 2017 when President Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the accord, he said: “It is time to put Youngstown, Ohio; Detroit, Mich.; and Pittsburgh, Pa., along with many, many other locations within our great country, before Paris, France.”

Now the accord would require other major polluters like China and India, to step up to work without the United States. Though China, now the largest emitter of planet-warming pollutants, has made significant promises, but Beijing’s ability to deliver is doubtful.

Last year the European Union held high-level meetings in Beijing to confirm the Paris commitment of both the European bloc and China. Millions of dollars have been provided to aid Chinese emissions-control efforts and to coordinate standards for both private and public financial investment in clean energy technologies of trillions of dollars, working with Canada and other countries.

However, China has resisted pledging for speeding up its initial emissions-control targets, which predicts that greenhouse gas emissions are rising until 2030. Europe may not influence to gain new concessions, which are divided itself over how far to scale back coal power.

“The E.U. is the front line out here. That’s very obvious,” the president of Finland, Sauli Niinisto, said in a recent interview. “The question is, will others listen to Europe?”

Teresa Ribera, Spain’s minister of ecological transition who will be hosting United Nations climate talks in December, said: “The fact is that we may find the first conflict could come with the United States, and I think that should not be something desirable for anyone.”

Mr. Pompeo tweeted that the United States would still continue to express opinions in international meets on global warming.

“We will continue to work with our global partners to enhance resilience to the impacts of climate change and prepare for and respond to natural disasters,” he said. “Just as we have in the past, the United States will continue to research, innovate, and grow our economy while reducing emissions and extending a helping hand to our friends and partners around the globe,” he said.

No other nation has left the Paris Agreement following Mr. Trump’s lead, rather more countries have joined, and few are setting higher limits for their emissions-reduction targets.

“Because the community was caught flat-footed by 2016, we want to be in a position to be prepared this time,” said Elan Strait, a former climate negotiator during the Obama administration who worked formerly on the Paris Agreement and now works at the World Wildlife Fund.

The environmentalists in the United States, are pushing states, cities, and businesses to lower emissions and switch to green energy sources such as solar and wind power. The local governments and businesses in hundreds have made emissions commitments under a movement called We Are Still In, which aspires to show the world that Americans are behind the Paris Agreement even if the administration is not.

“Cities, states, and businesses haven’t had a formal place at the negotiating table, but the Paris Agreement succeeded in large part because their voices were heard, and they will keep us moving forward until we have a president who will confront the climate crisis and put the public’s health and safety first,” Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire philanthropist and former mayor of New York City, said in a statement.

Mr. Bloomberg has started an initiative to trace efforts by United States cities, states, and businesses called America’s Pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On Monday, he also announced to host a “U.S. Climate Action Center” at the next round of climate negotiations by mayors, governors, chief executive officers, and environmental leaders to assume the role the American delegation would have played.

So efforts are expanding on an international level. Ms. Tubiana said while the Paris Agreement focused on national governments, the actions of businesses, provinces, states, and others may bring some of the most concrete changes. According to her, the challenge would be how to convert all of those pledges into a system to chip away at global emissions.

“Whatever happens on the United States side, even if a Democratic candidate would be elected, we have to prepare to have a structure,” she said.

With the letter to the United Nations on Monday, Mr. Trump would be able to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement officially the day after the presidential election. Though the United States would be downgraded to observer status, but would still be allowed to attend negotiations and weigh in on proceedings.

As per Analysts, even if the United States elects a Democrat in 2020, re-entry will not necessarily be smooth. Previously W. Bush withdrew the United States from the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement is the second global climate change pact that the United States joined under a Democrat and abandoned under a Republican.

“The United States has been written off in many cases as a partner,” he said. “You just can’t count on them.”

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About Arindom Ghosh

A professional writer, editor, blogger, copywriter, and a member of the International Association of Professional Writers and Editors, New York. He has been part of many reputed domestic and global online magazines and publications. An avid reader and a nature lover by heart, when he is not working, he is probably exploring the secrets of life.