U.N. Climate Negotiations

By Charlotte Munday

It is widely known that on June 1, 2017 the United States withdrew from the Paris Agreement. As of that time it joined Syria and Nicaragua as the only countries not party to the agreement. About a month ago Nicaragua stated that they would sign the agreement, and now Syria has followed Nicaragua’s path. The United States remains the only country not party to the Paris Agreement.

So, where does this leave the U.S.? Now that they are the only country standing by the wayside while the rest of the globe takes on the challenge of climate change. President Trump has argued that the reason for withdrawal is that the Paris Agreement is “unfair” to the U.S. economy. Although, officially withdrawal will not take place until 2020.

The Trump administration has stated that they will continue to negotiate terms of the deal, that are currently underway in Germany at the UN Climate Negotiations. At those negotiations, Trump’s special adviser on energy and environment stated that increased coal, gas, and oil use is a global reality and that the U.S. goal is to help poor countries obtain efficient coal and natural gas energy. He also stated that other countries should not block these efforts.

A group of 20 U.S. states, 110 U.S. cities, and 1,400 businesses have pledged to cut their fossil fuel emissions to meet the U.S. commitment under the Paris Agreement. They are known collectively as the “We Are Still In” coalition. Heading the coalition, former NYC major Michael Bloomberg stated at the UN Climate negotiations (COP 23), that this group of entities, “represents a bigger economy than any nation outside the U.S. and China.” Michael Bloomberg went on to say in response to Trump’s special advisor on energy and the environment, “[p]romoting coal at a climate summit is like promoting tobacco at a cancer summit. It’s also a denial of what’s happening in the U.S. – half of all American coal plants have been retired over the past six years.”

The scientific consensus is clear. Carbon dioxide emissions must be near zero by 2050 to prevent an increase in temperature of 2 degrees Celsius. Industrialized countries (U.S. and Europe) have, “no role for bringing additional fossil-fuel reserves, including gas, into production” to prevent this.

The rest of the world (200 nations) are moving forward with the terms of the Paris Agreement. They have launched a process to meet in 2018 and review gas emission standards. “Everyone got together and said ‘we have to protect the world. We have to protect the Paris Agreement.’ Countries are moving forward,” United Arab Emirates Climate Minister Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said. The U.S. withdrawal has caused a major roadblock, but other nations continue to march forward and tackle the Global Issue of Climate Change.

References

John Bowden, 200 nations plan 2018 talks to keep Paris Agreement momentum (November 18, 2017) available at http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/361016-200-nations-plan-2018-talks-to-keep-paris-agreement-momentum (last visited, November 19, 2017).

Lisa Friedman, Syria Joins Paris Climate Accord, Leaving Only U.S. Opposed (November 7, 2017) available at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/07/climate/syria-joins-paris-agreement.html (last visited, November 18, 2017).

Stephan Leahy, Half of U.S. Spending Power Behind Paris Climate Agreement (November, 15, 2017) available at https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/11/were-still-in-paris-climate-agreement-coalition-bonn-cop23/ (last visited, November 18, 2017).

Matt McGrath, Trump team looks or alternative approaches to Paris pact (November 15, 2017) available at http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-41991031 (last visited, November 18, 2017).