The Paris Agreement, adopted at COP 21 in December 2015 and ratified by 198 countries, seeks to limit the increase in global average temperatures to “well below 2C” above pre-industrial levels, while “pursuing efforts” to restrict the rise to 1.5C.
The withdrawal announcement comes just a month after the previous Biden administration unveiled an updated nationally determined contribution (NDC) under the agreement. The USA had committed to reducing net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 61-66% below 2005 levels by 2035.
NDCs are the plans submitted by each UN member state detailing their efforts to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change, with all nations required to submit updates by February 2025.
The US departure will take effect one year after the Trump administration formally notifies the UN. Even after its withdrawal, the US may still attend annual climate summits (COPs), though its influence on international climate policy is expected to diminish.
California climate catastrophe
The decision to exit the Paris Agreement comes against the backdrop of catastrophic wildfires in California, which are estimated to have caused between $52bn and $57bn in economic damages. As of Monday (20 January), the death toll stood at 27.
Climate scientists have highlighted the role of rising global temperatures in making vegetation more prone to burning, exacerbating the conditions for such fires.
Experts warn that as the planet continues to warm, extreme weather events such as wildfires, hurricanes and flooding are likely to increase in frequency and severity, bringing significant economic and environmental costs each year.
The US ranks as the world’s second-largest carbon emitter, following China. This latest withdrawal has sparked global and domestic criticism, with concerns about its impact on international efforts to combat climate change and its potential consequences for future climate-related disasters.
The European Climate Foundation’s chief executive Laurence Tubiana, one of the key architects of the Paris Agreement, said: “The US withdrawing from the Paris Agreement is unfortunate, but multilateral climate action has proven resilient and is stronger than any single country’s politics and policies.
“Europe – alongside other partners – now has the responsibility and opportunity to step up and lead. By pushing forward with a fair and balanced transition, it can show that ambitious climate action protects people, strengthens economies and builds resilience.
“The climate crisis cannot be tackled by any country alone – it demands a multilateral response. But this moment should serve as a wake-up call to reform the system, ensuring that those most affected – communities and individuals on the frontlines – are at the centre of our collective governance.”
The Union of Concerned Scientists’ policy director Dr Rachel Cleetus said:
“Withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement is a travesty. Such a move is in clear defiance of scientific realities and shows an administration cruelly indifferent to the harsh climate change impacts that people in the United States and around the world are experiencing. Pulling out of the Paris Agreement is an abdication of responsibility and undermines the very global action that people at home and abroad desperately need.”
