US President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement, has been met with shock, condemnation and derision across the world. With the United States being historically and even today one of the world’s largest consumers of fossil fuels Trump’s whining that the US has been given a raw deal has not found many takers. Unsurprisingly, even in the USA several multimillion dollar companies many of them synonymous with America especially that of Elon Musk’s Tesla have spoken against the decision with Musk himself deciding to resign from the various advisory committees he is a part of.
The Paris climate pact agreed at the end of 2015 was a historic achievement after over two decades of failed efforts to reach a consensus. It became legally binding about a year later, after countries responsible for 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions ratified it. It aims to keep the overall increase in global temperatures below 2°C, with an aspiration of limiting them to 1.5°C. While much has been written questioning the US’ reasoning behind the decision to withdraw, it is reassuring to hear that the decision will not threaten the deal as China, Europe and India, remain committed to it on paper.
Trump’s decision could also be a blessing in disguise. The fact remains that Trump’s decision to officially withdraw from the deal, which does not allow or disallow any specific actions, is symbolic more than anything else. The deal only expects countries to publicly declare how much it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and what it will do to get there, and Trump’s actual withdrawal may come into effect only in 2020.
With Trump’s announcement, the world has united with countries reaffirming their commitment to the Paris deal. China and India, which were initially assumed to be against such a deal, have become some of its more steadfast supporters. EU officials have decided that they will instead cut out the White House to deal directly with US states and corporations, many of whom have already pledged to live by the terms forged in Paris.
The announcement will also put the focus domestically on India’s consumption of fossil fuels. It is an opportunity for India to revise its targets and possibly even shelve its publicly declared plans to double its coal production for power generation.
