Washington:
President Donald Trump's administration on Monday announced the United States' intention to withdraw from the Paris climate accord for a second time, a defiant rejection of global efforts to combat global warming as catastrophic weather increasing worldwide.
The Republican leader also said his administration would declare a “national energy emergency” to significantly expand drilling in the world's largest oil and gas producer and scrap upcoming tough pollution standards for cars and trucks, which he has derided as a ” electric vehicle mandate'.
“President Trump will withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement,” the White House said in a statement shortly after the Republican was sworn in, without giving a specific timeline.
It would take a year to terminate the agreement after submitting a formal notification to the United Nations framework that underpins global climate negotiations.
Even before the formal exit, this move deals a serious blow to international cooperation aimed at reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Critics warn this could prompt other major polluters such as China and India to scale back their own commitments.
It comes as global average temperatures have breached the critical warming threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius for the first time in the past two years, underscoring the urgency of climate action.
“It is unfortunate that the US is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, but multilateral climate action has proven resilient and stronger than the politics and policies of any country,” said Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation and a key architect of the Paris Agreement.
More drilling, fewer electric vehicles
Trump used his inauguration speech to preview a series of sweeping energy-related federal orders aimed at undoing Biden's climate legacy.
“The inflation crisis was caused by massive overspending and escalating energy prices, which is why today I will also declare a national energy emergency. We'll 'drill, baby, drill!'” Trump said.
“We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help,” he added.
“With my actions today, we will end the Green New Deal and repeal the electric vehicle mandate, saving our auto industry.”
Trump's mention of the “Green New Deal” could be a reference to the Inflation Reduction Act — Biden's signature climate law that channels billions into clean energy tax credits — rather than a 2019 resolution of the same name that never passed Congress accepted.
Praise and contempt
Trump's domestic actions were welcomed by energy industry leaders, who see the administration's policies as a return to the era of “American energy dominance.”
“The U.S. oil and natural gas industry stands ready to work with the new administration to deliver the common-sense energy solutions that Americans voted for,” said Mike Sommers, president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute.
But they sparked immediate outrage from environmentalists, who argue that doubling fossil fuel production ignores the pressing challenges of climate change.
“This statement is yet more evidence that Trump does not seem to recognize the real world,” Athan Manuel, director of the Sierra Club's land protection program, told AFP. “The US produces more energy, more oil and gas than any country has ever produced.”
Trump's actions come despite the overwhelming scientific consensus that the burning of fossil fuels has driven global temperatures to unprecedented levels, contributing to increasingly severe climate-induced disasters.
Last year brought a barrage of destructive hurricanes, including Hurricane Helene – the second-deadliest storm to hit the mainland in more than half a century – while this month wildfires, amplified by climate change, have devastated Los Angeles.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)