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US President Trump announced his withdrawal from the Paris climate accord in June 2017, prompting mixed reactions at home and abroad.
As the American elections affect the hearts of the world, another decision by the United States will have a great impact on the world: The United States officially withdrew from the “Paris Climate Agreement” on November 4.
So far, the United States has become the first country in the world to officially withdraw from the “Paris Climate Agreement.” More than three years have passed since President Trump announced his withdrawal from the agreement in June 2017.
What does it mean for the United States to withdraw from the “Paris Climate Agreement”? In the past three years, what new commitments has China made on the issue of global climate change? What impact will these have on international politics and global efforts to control climate warming?
1) What is the “Paris Climate Association?Argue”？
On December 12, 2015, the 195 member states of the United Nations approved the “Paris Climate Agreement” at the United Nations Climate Summit, with the aim of jointly curbing global warming.
Under this agreement, countries around the world will work together to keep the earth’s temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius and will try to limit it to 1.5 degrees.
This is the world’s first legally binding and universal agreement on climate change.
2) Why did the United States withdraw?
When US President Trump announced his withdrawal from the “Paris Climate Agreement”, “This is to fulfill my solemn duty to the United States and its citizens” because this agreement is “very unfair to the United States” .
On November 4, 2019, United States Secretary of State Pompeo issued a statement the same day he formally submitted the notice of the retirement agreement, stating that the Paris Agreement “created an unfair economic burden on workers. , American businesses and taxpayers. “
In his 2016 campaign, President Trump linked his withdrawal from this agreement to the recovery of the energy industry, including coal and oil in the United States.
In his opinion, the injustice of the agreement with the United States is that the United States complies with the agreement to limit carbon emissions, but countries like China and India can still use fossil fuels without restrictions.
3) What is the impact of the US withdrawal from the agreement?
Carlos Fuller, who is from Belize and participates in the UN negotiations on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States, said that the withdrawal of the United States would definitely be a major blow to the Paris Agreement.
How does carbon dioxide heat the earth?
“We worked very hard to ensure that all the countries in the world made concessions in the deal. Now that we lose a country, we feel like we have completely failed.”
Scientists predict that if carbon dioxide emissions are not restricted, global temperature will rise 4.2 degrees Celsius by 2010. If the Paris Agreement commitments are fully implemented, global warming will be controlled to 3.3 degrees Celsius by 2100, and if the United States withdraws, warming will reach 3.6 degrees Celsius.
4) Does any other country follow the US and withdraw?
In the past three years or more since the United States announced its withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, no other country has made similar demands.
Peter Betts, who was in charge of the global negotiation of the agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, is now a researcher at the Royal Institute of Strategic Studies (Chatham House). He said: “I don’t think any country will withdraw from the Paris Agreement in the footsteps of Trump. It has not been that way in the last four years, and there should be none in the future.”
However, some observers worry that the US withdrawal from the agreement will cause other countries to adopt a procrastinal attitude, while scientists say the issue of global warming does not allow for delay. Governments must implement the spirit of the agreement quickly rather than passively delay.
Image source,EPA
With the news that Democratic presidential candidate Biden won the election, the outside world hopes that the United States under his leadership will rejoin the Paris climate accord.
Some of the major oil nations, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Russia, have shown their intention to adopt the same attitude as the United States on the issue of global warming.
Carlos Fuller believes that “they are looking for opportunities to see if they can get terms that are more beneficial to them from the deal, rather than back out.”
There are also people who hope that America’s withdrawal will bring other countries closer together, and will also give newcomers a chance to take on the responsibilities of a world leader.
5) Can the United States rejoin after it resigns?
The answer to this question is yes.
Although US carbon dioxide emissions account for only about 15% of the world’s total emissions, the US remains the world’s largest economy.
In the eyes of critics, America’s withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and abandonment of its global leadership role in action against climate change have undermined America’s credibility and reputation.
Biden, the US Democratic presidential candidate, has stated many times that he will seek to allow the United States to join the agreement as soon as possible after his successful election.
6) China factor
Image source,EPA
Xi Jinping attended the United Nations General Assembly in September 2020 through a video connection.
In November 2014, during former US President Barack Obama’s visit to China, he unexpectedly signed a climate change agreement with China.
Obama said at a press conference jointly organized with Xi Jinping: “We have a special responsibility to play a leading role in global efforts to address climate change.” This agreement later became an important part of the Paris climate agreement signed in December 2015.
Hendrik Ankenbrand, Shanghai correspondent for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, once discussed China’s reasons for defending the Paris climate accord: America’s withdrawal is in line with China’s ambitions to pursue world power status, “China wants to show to the world”. As a trusted power, it also declares the end of the era of American rule … For China, apart from environmental protection, I fear there is no other political arena more suitable to replace the United States as the world leader. “
At the United Nations General Assembly in September 2020, China’s top leader Xi Jinping delivered an online video speech, stating that China’s carbon dioxide emissions are striving to peak by 2030. and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
Critics expressed doubts whether this promise can finally be fulfilled, but BBC environmental affairs reporter Matt McGrath once quoted analysts as saying that Xi Jinping’s remarks were intended to solve the climate problem in the United States. It is time to take the dominant position.
In the UN General Assembly, the president of the United States, Trump, harshly criticized the new epidemic of the crown of China, environmental pollution and trade problems. He said: “After I pulled out of the unilateral Paris climate accord, America’s carbon footprint last year exceeded that of any country participating in the accord.”
In contrast to Trump’s emphasis on the antagonism between the United States and China and the spirit of American priority, Chinese leader Xi Jinping affirmed the Paris climate agreement in a speech the same day, saying that it “ represents the general direction of the green and low carbon global transition. It is the minimum action necessary to protect the homeland of the earth, and countries must take decisive action. “
In response to speeches by the leaders of the United States and China at the UN General Assembly, Shannon Tiezzi, editor of The Diplomat magazine, wrote an article in which Xi Jinping listed China’s world view at the United Nations. China is portrayed as a responsible role in the United Nations and throughout the world order. “
