US' Trump Has Once Again Withdrawn from Paris Climate Agreement

Why it matters: 

The Paris Climate Agreement is a crucial international pact, and recent climate change developments have heightened its significance for member countries.  Trump, whose country is one of the largest environmental polluters in the world, originally withdrew the US from the climate agreement, which enshrines the UN's climate objectives, in 2019. Former President Joe Biden quickly re-entered the deal on his first day in office.

Key points:

1. Economic Concerns: Trump and his administration argued that the agreement would impose unfair economic burdens on the United States. They believed it would lead to job losses in industries like coal, oil, and manufacturing, which they claimed would be negatively impacted by the regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

2. National Sovereignty: The Trump administration expressed concerns that the agreement undermined U.S. sovereignty by requiring the country to adhere to international commitments that could limit its ability to set its environmental policies.

3. Inequitable Terms: Trump criticized the terms of the agreement as being unfavorable to the U.S., claiming that it allowed other countries, particularly developing nations, to continue polluting while placing stricter limits on American businesses.

4. Focus on Energy Independence: The administration prioritized energy independence and sought to promote fossil fuel production as a means of boosting the economy and creating jobs.

5. Skepticism about Climate Change: Trump's stance on climate change has often been characterized by skepticism regarding its severity and human contribution, which influenced his decision-making regarding environmental policies.

What they say:

Trump’s order says the Paris Accord is among several international agreements that do not reflect US values and “steer American taxpayer dollars to countries that do not require, or merit, financial assistance in the interests of the American people”.

Between the lines:

President Donald Trump has also used one of the flurry of executive actions that he issued on his first day back in the White House to begin the process of withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization for the second time in less than five years.

Experts and scientists have also cautioned that withdrawing from the WHO could weaken the world’s defenses against dangerous new outbreaks capable of triggering pandemics and it could be a move that could roll back decades-long gains made in fighting infectious diseases like AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.