The History of the Paris Climate Accord

The Paris Climate Accord was a non-binding agreement set up in consideration of the climate and the knowledge that if radical action isn’t taken immediately that irreparable damage will be done to the environment in the near future. 196 of 197 countries were brought into the negotiating table on the table on the accord, but the justification of the U.S. is pulling out of the accord was that this deal was not fair for the U.S. that the commander in chief of this country negotiated.

The 15th of December, 2015. The day when world leaders of 195 countries, including the U.S, signed onto the Paris Climate Accord in order to cut down on carbon emissions. But this changed on the first of June 2017 with Trump withdrawing from the accord against the discretion of his cabinet. The Trump administration reversed as many climate regulations as they saw undoing progress we have made throughout the decade. With the Biden administration, it looks as if he is going to reverse the reversals from the previous administration. Joe Biden has already shown signs of this by in the first week joining back into the Paris Climate Accord.

The Obama administration sought to in negotiating and joining the Paris Climate Accord to not only create more jobs and shift our economy away from a dying industry, but also create a better world, or a habitable world, for future generations to enjoy. Although the Paris Climate Accord rightly pointed out by Nicaragua was potentially a “path to failure” (Time) because “the deal is not binding,” (Time) which means “no punishments for countries that fail to live up to the commitments they make as part of the deal;” (Time) it was regardless a step towards progress that will reduce carbon emissions. As part of this negotiation, Obama made the U.S’ commitment to the climate plan in 2009, which was “a pledge that by 2020, America would reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in the range of 17 percent below 2005 levels if all other major economies agreed to limit their emissions as well” (White House)

A majority of Americans in every demographic, based on political affiliation, thought that the U.S. should participate in the international agreement to curb global warming. Meaning that if the people in power listened to their constituency, there would be a bipartisan effort to not only stay in the Paris climate accord but also expand our goals as well; not making the issue of climate change a partisan issue.

Biden’s Climate Change plan, in combination with joining the Paris Climate Accord, makes for a slightly reassuring future, although it’s not enough as radical action in taking bigger steps than this needs to be taken; it’s a good start.

Bibliography

Time — https://time.com/4799844/nicaragua-paris-climate-agreement-countries/

White House — https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/image/president27 sclimateactionplan.pdf

The Guardian — https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/01/pittsburgh-fires-back-trump- paris-agreement

PBS — https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/paris-accord-unfair-u-s-putting-trumps-claims- context

(The Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/06/a-warning-on-climate-and-the-risk-of-societal-collapse