1 week ago
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President-elect Donald Trump is expected to exit the Paris climate agreement again, likely with fewer obstacles, potentially leaving the U.S. out of global climate efforts sooner than in 2017.
Sara Schonhardt reports for POLITICO.
In short:
- Trump plans to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement in January, reducing its role in global climate negotiations and complicating emission-reduction goals.
- A faster U.S. exit could lead to weakened international climate commitments as nations reconsider the costs and benefits of aggressive action.
- China, currently the largest player in clean energy, may capitalize on the U.S. absence to strengthen its influence in global green technology markets.
Key quote:
“I think we lose when the U.S. is out, and with the U.S. out, China will step up, but in a very different way.”
— Jonathan Pershing, former U.S. climate envoy
Why this matters:
Trump’s second withdrawal could hinder global momentum on climate goals and limit the U.S.’s ability to influence critical issues like renewable energy adoption and climate finance. A retreat by the world’s second-largest greenhouse gas emitter could embolden other countries to ease climate commitments, slowing progress toward reducing global emissions.
Learn more: Trump’s return as president puts US climate policy at odds with global goals
