President Donald Trump announced that the US is withdrawing from the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
The Paris agreement commits the US and one hundred and eighty seven other countries to keeping rising global temperatures below 2oC above pre-industrial levels and endeavour to limit them even more, to 1.5oC. Only Syria and Nicaragua did not sign up to the deal.
President Trump stated during last year’s presidential election campaign that he would take the step to help his country’s oil and coal industries.
It has been indicated that the US withdrawal from the Paris agreement will make it more difficult for the world to reach the goals that it set for itself in the Paris agreement.
The US contributes about 15% of global emissions of carbon, but it is also a significant source of finance and technology for developing countries in their efforts to fight rising temperatures.
There has been widespread international disapproval and criticism of President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from across the world. This worldwide response has demonstrated how the climate change issue is no longer considered a potential concept but is now accepted at the forefront of political agendas, which is now widely supported by empirical evidence.
It is anticipated that it could take up to four years for the US to withdraw fully from the agreement.
(Source: BBC News)