The United States officially withdrew from the Paris Agreement on November 4, 2020. This comes after years of political debate and controversy surrounding the agreement, which aims to combat climate change through international cooperation.
The Paris Agreement was signed in 2015 by 197 countries, including the United States under the Obama administration. It set a goal to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with a target of pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Each country submitted a plan, known as a nationally determined contribution, outlining its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
However, in June 2017, President Trump announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the agreement, citing concerns over economic impact and loss of jobs. The withdrawal process took three years, as stated in the agreement. The U.S. was officially out of the Paris Agreement on November 4, 2020, the day after the 2020 presidential election.
The decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement has been widely criticized by environmentalists, world leaders, and even some corporations. The U.S. is the only country to have withdrawn from the agreement, although it is worth noting that it has been criticized by other countries for not doing enough to combat climate change.
The Biden administration has already taken steps to rejoin the Paris Agreement. President Biden signed an executive order on his first day in office directing the United States to rejoin the agreement, which will take effect on February 19, 2021. The Biden administration has also pledged to take bold action on climate change, including a goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
In conclusion, the United States officially withdrew from the Paris Agreement on November 4, 2020, but will rejoin the agreement on February 19, 2021, under the Biden administration. The withdrawal process took three years, and the decision has been widely criticized by environmentalists and world leaders. The Biden administration has pledged to take bold action on climate change and is making efforts to rejoin the Paris Agreement.
