The United States has formally exited the landmark Paris climate agreement for a second time, solidifying former President Donald Trump's commitment to distance the nation from global efforts to combat the climate crisis. This decision reinforces the US as the sole country to have ever withdrawn from the pact, placing it alongside Iran, Libya, and Yemen as the only nations not party to the agreement.
America First Policy Drives Withdrawal
Announced following Trump's return to the White House last year, this withdrawal is a cornerstone of his "America First" agenda, which aims to extract Washington from international treaties and organisations deemed unbeneficial to the country. The Paris agreement, central to global commitments to address rising temperatures, obliges nations to strive to limit global temperature increases to 1.5°C and keep them well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. This target is crucial to mitigating the severe impacts of climate change that threaten millions worldwide.
Criticism from Climate and Human Rights Groups
Given the US's status as one of the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters, the withdrawal has sparked sharp condemnation from climate activists, human rights advocates, and critics of the Trump administration. Marta Schaaf, Amnesty International’s Programme Director for Climate, stated, "The US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement sets a disturbing precedent that seeks to instigate a race to the bottom, and, along with its withdrawal from other major global climate pacts, aims to dismantle the global system of cooperation on climate action." She added that this decision threatens to reverse over a decade of progress under the agreement, particularly harming vulnerable communities on the frontlines of climate disasters.
Domestic Opposition and Global Implications
Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California and a vocal Trump critic, responded, "As climate disasters cost Americans trillions, Trump’s answer is to wave the white flag. California won’t retreat. We’ll keep working with our partners around the world to cut pollution, create jobs, and lead the clean energy economy that the Trump administration is too weak to fight for." While renewable energy sources accounted for over 90% of new power generation capacity in 2025, with China leading the way, the US withdrawal complicates global efforts to cap temperature rises within 1.5°C or 2°C.
Broader Withdrawal from Climate Frameworks
Earlier this month, the US also announced its departure from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the foundation of the Paris agreement. Combined, these moves remove the US from key bodies addressing the climate crisis and assisting nations most at risk from temperature changes and extreme weather. This follows the US's recent exit from the UN's World Health Organisation (WHO), a decision the global body warned would make "both the United States and the world less safe."
The repeated withdrawal underscores a significant shift in US foreign policy, potentially weakening international climate cooperation and leaving a void in global leadership on environmental issues.
