US starts its exit from climate change accord
The United States last night began the formal process of withdrawing from the 2015 Paris Agreement, which will leave the world’s biggest historic emitter of greenhouse gases as the only major nation outside the accord. The disengagement will not become official for a year.
THE United States last night began the formal process of withdrawing from the 2015 Paris Agreement, which will leave the world’s biggest historic emitter of greenhouse gases as the only major nation outside the accord.
Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, said he had sent a letter to Antonio António, the United Nations secretary general, starting a disengagement that will not become official for a year.
Mr Pompeo said: “President Trump made the decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement because of the unfair economic burden imposed on American workers, businesses, and taxpayers. The US is proud of our record as a world leader in reducing all emissions, fostering resilience, growing our economy, and ensuring energy for our citizens. Ours is a realistic and pragmatic model.”
He said that “innovation and open markets” would lead to “greater prosperity and fewer emissions”.
Nearly 200 countries signed up to the climate deal, in which each provided its own goals to curb emissions of heat-trapping gases that lead to climate change.
Under Barack Obama the US aimed for a 26 to 28 per cent cut, from 2005 levels, by 2030.
The agreement was ratified on Nov 4 2016 and the rules prevented any nation from withdrawing for the first three years. The US pulled out on the first day it became possible, and it was the first nation to do so.
Mr Trump campaigned in 2016 on a promise to terminate US involvement in the deal, saying it would hurt the US economy while leaving other big polluters like China to increase emissions. Instead, he vowed to boost America’s oil, gas and coal industries, a message that found support in the US Midwest.
As president, he formally announced his intention to withdraw on June 1, 2017 at the White House. At the time he said the agreement “disadvantages the United States to the exclusive benefit of other countries.”
Since then Mr Trump has repeatedly called the agreement a “total disaster” and blamed Mr Obama for undermining US competitiveness.
Allies had repeatedly urged Mr Trump to keep the US in the deal and the decision to formally withdraw was criticised by experts and activists.
Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, America’s largest grassroots environmental organisation, said: “Donald Trump is the worst president in history for our climate and our clean air and water. Long after Trump is out of office, his decision will be seen as a historic error.”
Following the one-year notice period, the US will leave the agreement on Nov 4 2020 – the day after the presidential election.
If the Democrat presidential nominee wins the White House, then the US could sign up again. All leading Democrat candidates have vowed to do so.
According to a recent poll, eight in 10 Americans believe human activity is accelerating climate change, and two thirds said Mr Trump was doing too little to combat it.
On the day the US began the withdrawal process, it relaxed restrictions on coal-fired power plants introduced by Mr Obama. That included loosening requirements to clean up coal ash and toxic heavy metals.