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The Second Largest GHG Emitter Quits Paris Climate Agreement

The US will now become a party with Iran, Yemen and Libya as the only countries that stand currently outside the agreement, which was signed 10 years ago in the French capital.

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Sandipan Talukdar
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The Second Largest GHG Emitter Quits Paris Climate Agreement

At a time when the entire world is perturbed by the rising temperature and when the records showed that the year 2024 has been the hottest with global temperature rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for the first time, when the deadly fires engulfed cities in the USA, it is important to talk about climate change and how to mitigate it if only we want our future generations to exist in this world. At such a junction, Donald Trump, on the first day of his presidency, declared the USA coming out of the Paris Climate Agreement. The world ought to react to this action of Mr Trump.

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Let’s quickly recall two facts, first is that the climate change the world is talking about now is anthropogenic, that is human-made and second is that global climate change mitigation is a task of the entire world, of the human race. There is no place for complacency and self-righteous attitude by any nation if the human race and the planet are to exist. Trump has vilified both these, which is apparent in his statements—“We will drill, baby, drill. We will bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again, right to the top, and export American energy all over the world. We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help to do it." The new president vowed to raise the USA to a new age of oil and gas exploration.

The US will now become a party with Iran, Yemen and Libya as the only countries that stand currently outside the agreement, which was signed 10 years ago in the French capital. The first Trump administration acted similarly and stepped out from the agreement in 2017.  However, that step was promptly reversed on President Joe Biden's first day in office in 2021.

IPCC, Bolsonaro & Trump

This is also a time to recall IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) findings and previous Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. The IPCC has been warning the world leaders how the planet Earth is moving towards reaching the critical climate points or the tipping points. When the climate tipping points are reached, it won’t be possible to come back to the earlier stage, no matter what we do. The tipping points include the collapse of the Greenland ice cap, melting of the permafrost, death of the coral reefs, and Amazon rainforest degradation. 

The collapse of the ice sheets will cause sea level rise threatening the island nations. Once this is collapsed, they cannot be revived ever even if we bring global emissions to zero overnight. Once gone it is gone. Combustion of fossil fuels plays a crucial role in this climatic system, it is almost mandatory to bring it to zero.

The previous Brazilian president Jair Bolspnaro, a climate denier, allowed private players to work deep inside the Amazon rainforest. This led to the destruction of a significant portion (34% as some estimates say) of the rainforest, a critical ecosystem of the Earth. Bolsonaro appeared as a villain in front of the world community and it became an electoral issue that helped Lula win the presidential position in the next election.

Should we not see Trump’s attitude in the same light? The White House announced a "national energy emergency", indicating significant changes that will lead to a reversal of US climate regulations and boost oil and gas production.

Paris Agreement

The main aim of the Paris Agreement signed in 2016 in Paris, is to hold the increase in the global average temperature below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels. The agreement also speaks of efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.

Global average temperature, crossing the 2 degree Celsius mark would result in frequent disasters across the world with each of them having greater intensity. The agreement, though not a legal framework, binds nations to determine their national aim to contribute to the global effort.

Although there have been debates about setting goals by nations while implementing the Paris Agreement, the global framework is a must to keep human activities under check for mitigating climate change. 

The Paris Agreement is essential. The UN climate negotiations provide a platform where every nation has a voice over the issue of climate change. It is unlikely that the USA’s departure from it would impact other nations’ commitment to the Paris Agreement. 

The US citizens should also remember that every year they are bombarded with intense wildfires, floods and hurricanes. These catastrophes can’t be restricted within human-created borders. Trump’s decision to leave the Paris Agreement won’t help the USA protect Americans from climate impacts. 

Moreover, it may bring good fortunes to China and the European Union the transition to a green economy is already underway.  China and the EU may get a competitive edge when the clean energy economy is booming.

Also Read: Gargantuan Gap Between Super-Rich and Poor Defines the Economic System

Donald Trump Paris Climate Agreement