Trump’s Withdrawl from the Paris Climate Agreement and What That Entails
Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement and other environmental accords will hinder environmental progress for both America and the rest of the world. Read to learn more about how political decisions are affecting our Earth!
Trump’s Withdrawl from the Paris Climate Agreement and What That Entails
On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14162, or “Putting America First In International Environmental Agreements,” directing the immediate withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement and other international climate commitments. The Paris Agreement is an international agreement aimed at limiting the average rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius. As part of the agreement, every country involved outlines its plans to achieve these reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Trump also withdrew financial contributions to the Green Climate Fund. This fund channels billions of dollars from developed nations — those most accountable for the climate crisis— to assist developing countries in transitioning from coal to green energy sources.
Trump’s Reasoning for the Withdrawal
Trump’s justification for these withdrawals is that it places “unfair economic burdens” on the United States, claiming that the agreement is “one-sided” and benefits other countries, specifically China and India, more than the United States. He says that meeting the Paris commitments would lead to job losses in coal, manufacturing, and fossil fuel industries, as these industries produce large amounts of greenhouse gases. However, it’s estimated that a transition to clean energy would create millions of new jobs for American citizens. Trump promised to revitalize these fossil fuel sectors during his presidency, despite the massive amounts of damage it will bring to the environment. In addition, Trump claims that halting payments towards the Green Climate Fund will save America money since they don’t have to “waste taxpayer dollars.” The Obama administration pledged $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund, but only $1 billion was paid before Trump halted payments.
Why is this an issue?
America is the world’s second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, emitting 4.9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2023, even with environmental regulations put in place. Trump has already removed over 100 environmental regulations, which climate experts estimate will lead to hundreds of millions of tons of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. This will be detrimental to the environment, as the climate change situation is already in a dire state. As a world power, America should be taking the initiative to reduce carbon emissions and make the switch to more renewable energy sources. It has caused an even greater divide within our country, turning climate change into a political issue rather than a scientific one. Trump has set a precedent for American citizens, encouraging them to neglect the environment and discouraging them from making environmentally beneficial decisions.
Not only do these actions put the United States at a setback, preventing any major strides to reduce excess carbon emissions, but they also prevent poorer, developing nations from doing the same. Since Trump pulled back on the remaining $2 billion that was meant to be given to the Green Climate Fund, developing nations will have a harder time trying to finance climate projects. These decisions also put our foreign relations in peril, as our allies, specifically in Europe, placed high value on battling climate change. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris agreement. With Trump removing the United States from these environmental agreements previously joined by our former presidents, the United States will no longer be considered a reliable partner for global issues, whether they are climate-related or not.
Summary
Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement and other environmental accords will hinder environmental progress for both America and the rest of the world. With many environmental regulations gone, there be a dramatic increase in carbon emissions. Moreover, Trump’s decisions have turned climate change into a political issue. Developing nations will no longer have the funds to switch to sustainable energy, and American allies will no longer see the United States as reliable. Trump’s choices not only negatively affect the environment, but also cause even more foreign and domestic issues.