United States President, Donald Trump, has announced the country’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement for the second time, marking a policy shift in his administration.
The announcement came on Monday during a ceremony at the Capital One Arena in Washington, shortly after Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States.
He signed a series of executive orders, including the decision to exit the global climate accord, which he described as “unfair and one-sided.”
“I’m immediately withdrawing from the unfair, one-sided Paris climate accord rip-off. The United States will not sabotage our own industries while China pollutes with impunity”, Trump declared.
This decision places the US alongside Iran, Libya, and Yemen as the only nations not participating in the 2015 treaty, which aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
During his first term, Trump had pulled the US out of the agreement in 2017, citing economic concerns.
Although the withdrawal took effect in 2020, it was reversed by President Joe Biden upon taking office in 2021. Trump’s latest move signals a reversal of Biden’s climate policies, including a commitment to cutting emissions by up to 66 per cent by 2035.
The Biden administration had focused on transitioning to clean energy, but Trump pledged to expand the fossil fuel industry, vowing to “drill, baby, drill.”
Global reactions to the announcement have been swift, with critics warning of its impact on international climate action. The United States, historically responsible for 22 per cent of atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions since 1950, plays a key role in global efforts to combat climate change.
Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, expressed concern, saying, “Ignoring it only sends all that vast wealth to competitor economies, while climate disasters like droughts, wildfires, and superstorms keep getting worse.”
The decision comes during a period of heightened climate awareness, as 2024 was confirmed to be the warmest year on record. Southern California, for instance, has recently experienced devastating wildfires that have claimed lives and displaced thousands.
