By Abdullahi Lukman
Soon after taking oath of office, Monday, January 20, United States President Donald Trump initiated the process for the country’s withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement for a second time.
Trump signed an executive order towards the withdraw in front of supporters at a rally in Washington, DC.
He framed the decision as a response to what he called the “unfair, one-sided Paris climate accord rip-off,” vowing to protect American industries from what he described as global environmental rules that favor other nations.
In addition to the executive order, Trump sent a formal letter to the United Nations, notifying the global body of the US’s decision to exit the agreement.
The withdrawal process will take about a year, and once completed, the US will join just three other countries—Iran, Libya, and Yemen—as the only nations outside the accord. This move directly reverses President Joe Biden’s decision in 2021 to rejoin the agreement, which Trump had previously pulled out of in 2017.
Trump used the occasion to further criticize China, claiming that the country’s reliance on “dirty energy” was a threat to the US.
He argued that China’s pollution would eventually float across the ocean, affecting American air quality, and reiterated his belief that the Paris Agreement unfairly penalizes the US while allowing other nations, particularly China, to continue polluting.
The White House also issued a policy document outlining Trump’s vision for America’s energy future, which includes efforts to increase fossil fuel production and reduce reliance on clean energy initiatives introduced under Biden.
Trump labeled Biden’s green energy policies a “scam” and promised to reinstate more favorable conditions for the fossil fuel industry, including removing restrictions on drilling and boosting oil production.
Under Biden’s administration, the US had become the world’s largest natural gas producer, and new regulations sought to push the country toward net-zero emissions by 2050.
However, Trump’s return to office is expected to steer the US back toward fossil fuel expansion, potentially increasing emissions by billions of tons by 2030.
Critics warn that this will undermine global climate efforts and make it harder to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
Gina McCarthy, former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Barack Obama, condemned Trump’s decision, saying it shows a failure to lead on climate issues.
She emphasized that the US must remain at the forefront of international climate negotiations to ensure that the global economy is moving toward sustainable investments and climate solutions.
During Trump’s first term, his attempt to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement had little immediate effect due to the complex UN exit procedures.
However, this time, the process is expected to take no longer than a year, allowing Trump to quickly reassert US dominance in energy production while sidelining international climate commitments.
The Biden administration had previously filed ambitious new climate targets under the Paris Agreement, seeking to cut US emissions by 61–66% by 2035.
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These efforts were seen as critical to achieving a net-zero carbon future by 2050.
However, following Trump’s re-election, these targets will likely be abandoned, with cities and states left to pick up the slack in pushing forward clean energy policies at the local level.
Despite Trump’s decision, some climate advocates remain hopeful that US states, cities, and businesses will continue to drive clean energy transitions.
McCarthy, now a leader in the coalition America Is All In, emphasized that local action will remain crucial for reducing emissions and accelerating the shift toward renewable energy, even if the federal government steps back from its commitments.
Basav Sen, a director at the Institute for Policy Studies, criticized Trump’s actions as irresponsible and damaging to global efforts to tackle climate change.
He stated that Trump’s administration is more focused on expanding fossil fuel production than on global cooperation to mitigate the climate crisis.
The fossil fuel industry, which has donated millions of dollars to Trump’s political campaigns, is expected to benefit from the rollback of environmental regulations and an increase in drilling activity.
However, critics argue that this will only exacerbate the environmental and social impacts of climate change, particularly in vulnerable communities that are least responsible for global emissions.
Harjeet Singh, a climate activist and director of the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation, warned that Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement would have disproportionate effects on developing nations.
These countries, which have contributed the least to global emissions, will bear the brunt of intensifying natural disasters, including floods, droughts, and sea-level rise.
With the 2025 UN Climate Summit approaching, experts are sounding alarms that global temperatures are on track to rise by 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, which could trigger catastrophic effects on the environment.
The withdrawal of the US, one of the world’s largest polluters, is seen as a major setback in efforts to prevent further global warming.
Former Clinton White House official Paul Bledsoe warned that Trump’s exit from the Paris Agreement risks destabilizing global climate efforts, as the US plays a key role in shaping international policy.
He argued that Trump’s decision is part of a broader political strategy that disregards the severe long-term consequences of climate change.
Trump’s announcement comes on the heels of devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, where climate change has been linked to extreme weather conditions, including high winds and drought.
These fires have caused extensive damage, with losses potentially exceeding $250 billion. Critics argue that Trump’s response to the crisis has been marked by political divisiveness and misinformation, rather than meaningful efforts to address climate change.
Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement not only signals a shift in US climate policy but also undermines global efforts to address the climate crisis.
With growing extreme weather events and rising global temperatures, experts agree that urgent action is needed to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, and that the world must continue to push for greater international cooperation to meet these challenges.
