Trump Announces Withdrawal from Paris Climate Accord
In a statement released on October 9, 2023, the White House announced that President Donald Trump would be withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement on climate change. This decision marks the second time Trump has pulled the US out of the landmark accord, having previously withdrawn during his first term in 2017.
The White House statement cited concerns over the agreement's impact on the US economy as the primary reason for the withdrawal. President Trump argued that the Paris Agreement would impose undue burdens on American businesses and hinder economic growth. He also claimed that the US was already producing more oil than any other country and did not need to be subject to the agreement's restrictions.
The announcement was met with criticism from environmental groups and world leaders. UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell expressed disappointment and reiterated that the door remained open for the US to rejoin the agreement. He emphasized the importance of embracing the global clean energy transition, highlighting its potential for economic growth and environmental benefits.
Canadian Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault expressed his disapproval of Trump's decision, calling it "deplorable" and highlighting the irony of the withdrawal amidst California's ongoing wildfire crisis. Ali Mohamed, chair of the African negotiating team and Kenya's special envoy for climate change, stressed the importance of US leadership in mobilizing climate finance and advancing clean energy transitions.
President and CEO of World Resources Institute Ani Dasgupta argued that the US withdrawal was a missed opportunity for the country to shape the growing green energy market and hold other major economies accountable for their climate commitments.
The decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement is likely to have significant implications for global climate efforts. The US is the world's second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and its absence from the agreement could hinder progress towards achieving the accord's goals.
7 Comments
Karamba
We don't need to be part of an agreement that punishes the US while other countries like China get away with polluting.
Matzomaster
Trump is putting the American people first, and that's what matters most.
Rotfront
Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement is a slap in the face to the millions of people around the world already suffering from climate change.
BuggaBoom
The science on climate change is still uncertain. We shouldn't be giving away billions of dollars to other countries based on speculation.
Noir Black
Trump is taking a courageous stand against globalism and putting the interests of the US first.
Michelangelo
This is a historic moment for America. Trump is making our country great again!
Leonardo
The Paris Agreement was a bad deal for the US. It would have cost us millions of jobs and hurt our economy.