Trump vows to exit Paris climate agreement, declares National Energy Emergency

File Source: RFI

President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his intent to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement, a pivotal global effort to combat rising temperatures. This move mirrors his 2017 decision during his first term, which was reversed by President Joe Biden on his first day in office in 2021.

The formal withdrawal process will take a year, during which the White House has declared a “national energy emergency,” signaling sweeping changes to reverse climate regulations and bolster oil and gas production. This announcement comes after global temperatures in 2024 surpassed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time in a calendar year—a threshold established by the Paris agreement as a dangerous limit for global warming impacts.

In a nod to his previous stance, Trump reiterated, “I was elected to represent the people of Pittsburgh, not Paris.” With the U.S. now poised to join Iran, Yemen, and Libya as the only countries outside the agreement, Trump emphasized the importance of energy independence. “We will drill, baby, drill,” he declared, pledging a new era of oil and gas exploration. “We will bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again, and export American energy all over the world. We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help to do it.”

Despite the surge in U.S. fossil fuel production since 2016, Trump’s administration plans to dismantle Biden-era environmental policies, including the “green new deal” and efforts to promote electric vehicle ownership. Trump criticized the Biden “EV mandate” and vowed to protect the U.S. car industry while halting federal land leases for wind farms, which he claimed degrade the national landscape.

UN climate chief Simon Stiell warned of the economic consequences of the U.S. withdrawal, stating, “Embracing the clean energy boom will mean massive profits, millions of manufacturing jobs, and clean air. Ignoring it only sends vast wealth to competitor economies while climate disasters worsen, destroying property and businesses, and driving nationwide inflation.”

Trump’s previous attempt to exit the Paris agreement had galvanized both domestic and international opposition, unifying efforts to combat climate change. However, this withdrawal could have more severe consequences, as climate change has slipped in priority for many governments. Some countries, like Argentina, may consider following the U.S. lead, while developing nations express frustration over insufficient funding from richer nations, as highlighted during COP29 in Azerbaijan.

Despite the setback, Stiell maintained a hopeful tone: “The door remains open to the Paris agreement, and we welcome constructive engagement from any and all countries.”