What Is the Paris Agreement Act?

By Robert Palmer

The Paris Agreement is a landmark international treaty that was adopted on December 12, 2015, by 196 countries to combat climate change. The agreement seeks to limit the global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The Paris Agreement aims to achieve this by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing the ability of countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Each country is required to submit a nationally determined contribution (NDC) outlining their plans and actions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

What is the Paris Agreement Act?

The Paris Agreement Act is a piece of legislation that was signed into law by President Joe Biden on February 19, 2021. The act formally re-joined the United States into the Paris Agreement after former President Donald Trump withdrew from it in 2017.

Why did the US leave the Paris Agreement?

Former President Trump argued that the Paris Agreement would harm US businesses and jobs, and he believed that it was unfair for other countries, particularly China, to have looser emissions Targets than the US.

However, many experts disagreed with this assessment and argued that leaving the agreement would harm global efforts to combat climate change. In addition, many US states, cities, and businesses continued to support climate action even after the federal government withdrew from the agreement.

What does re-joining mean for climate action in the US?

Re-joining the Paris Agreement signals a renewed commitment by the US government to address climate change. The Biden administration has already taken several steps towards this goal, including:

  • Setting a Target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
  • Requiring federal agencies to consider climate change in their decision-making processes
  • Revoking permits for pipelines that would transport oil or gas from Canada to the US
  • Issuing executive orders to promote clean energy and electric vehicles

Conclusion

The Paris Agreement Act represents an important step towards global cooperation in addressing climate change. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, countries must continue to work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the planet for future generations. The US re-joining the Paris Agreement is a positive development, but much more needs to be done to achieve the goals set out in the agreement.