admin
Catherine Mudyanadzo Correspondent
The recent decision by US President Donald J. Trump to pull out of Paris Climate Accord has been met with the anger and consternation it deserves.However, beyond the anger and diplomatic fallout lurks grave implications to the world. What it also tells us is that America is a country of a warped moral standing.
Trump dramatically pulled out of the Paris Climate Change Accord citing the need to “put American workers first and the Earth last”. The Trump move was widely condemned by America’s allies, notably Britain, France, Italy and Germany.
Environmentalists and the business world reacted negatively to Trump’s decision arguing that climate change is real and leaving Paris is not good for America or the world.
The US is the world’s second largest carbon emitter and has gravely walked away from its climate change commitments. Analysts and industrialists in America believe that Trump’s decision represents a setback for the environment and for US global leadership as it is considered a willful abdication of America’s leadership role in the world.
The Paris Climate Change Agreement has five key major provisions for responding to the threats posed by climate change.
That is;
Limit global warming to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius or 1,5 degrees Celsius if possible,
Cut greenhouse gas emissions in the 2020s,
A pledge for deeper emissions cuts in future,
Rich nations to provide funding to poorer nations and;
Holding countries to account.
Trump’s withdrawal sends a clear signal to the world that the US will no longer engage in emission reduction at the expense of its national interests. He said the US could try to re-enter the deal under more favourable terms but indicated that it would hardly be of high priority.
“If we can, great. If we can’t, that’s fine,” he said.
Trump says the Paris deal unscrupulously puts constraints on the US coal industry, and inequitably allows some countries to continuously pollute the atmosphere at a greater rate than others.
“Believe me, we have massive legal liability if we stay in,” he said. The withdrawal is deeply discouraging as it derails the efforts made by other countries and environmentalists in climate change reduction.
It is possible that this may have far- reaching consequences on world efforts to address climate change. Although the United States is well positioned to compete within the Paris Agreement, it is disheartening to note that it believes that its interests are best served outside that agreement.
Withdrawal means abandoning the sincerest efforts of international cooperative efforts on climate change.
Although Trump is widely condemned for this decision, it is also in the interest of the Americans to safeguard their interests like any other country would do.
Trump reiterated that he was, “elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris”. This heralds the death of America’s position as a global climate change contributor.
Internationally, the question now is, what position does the US occupy in addressing climate change issues? French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump’s pulling out of the Paris agreement was a “mistake for the US and our planet”.
Other leaders are most likely to be driven into Trump’s idea of neglecting the commitment in a bid to secure national interests. Withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement is bad for the environment, bad for the economy and puts people’s lives at risk.
Greenhouse emissions are not only harmful to the multifarious environment but also escalate the risk of asthma and heart disease. According to the Global Burden of Disease project, more than 5 million people die worldwide each year because of air pollution, and emissions from coal-fired plants are a major risk factor here.
In this respect, US promotion of multilateralism is in decline. It is unnerving for a country that has seen itself through the prism of international institutions, from the EU, United Nations to NATO pulling such a stance.
Nerves are definitely jangling from the developing world and I wonder if developing countries like Brazil and Zimbabwe have a reason to remain in the Paris Accord, as America, the world’s biggest historical emitter, has completely ditched the deal.
Trump’s exit from the climate accord widens its rift with Germany and other Trans-Atlantic allies. Germans are possibly angry at what they see as Trump’s rejection of the shared values that underpin the Western order. Trump’s rejection of Paris is a blow to Germany’s collective solar plexus.
To me, the essence of Trump’s administration to international climate efforts is a message to developing countries that Trump’s administration is unreliable.
I believe that today’s generation is left with no option but to view Trumps decision to leave the Paris agreement as one of the most dangerous and grave actions ever taken by any president.
Trump’s bruising efforts to put America first has ultimately lead to the US joining Nicaragua and Syria against the world on climate change reduction. The new anti-climate club is most likely to fuel a global disorder.
The Paris Agreement was no panacea – but it nudged the world in the right direction. Now, the US trails backwards. It’s not just the environment that is at stake but the well-being of humanity.
The climate deal is a priority to the world, and there is need to speak for all humanity, for the indigenous people of the world, and for the billions of underprivileged people out there who would be affected by this.
Tackling issues on reforming energy is an imperative driver of employment creation and economic growth. From a business angle, it means the US will lose $1,4 trillion global business opportunity that global low carbon economy represents.
Other countries can take this opportunity to isolate America whilst others are more likely to follow suit.
Online Reporter
dyton mupawaenda