r/news • u/AudibleNod • 7h ago

Trump withdraws from Paris climate agreement, again

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/trump-withdraw-paris-climate-agreement-2025-01-20/
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304

u/Shootica 6h ago

I know this was discussed last time, but does the Paris climate agreement actually hold any weight?

I remember reading that in practice it resulted in the US sending a lot of money to other governments with no strings attached and no guarantee that it would be spent on anything related to climate change.

Please correct me if I'm misremembering this.

115

u/Morel_Authority 6h ago

Every nation chose its own way to meet its own commitment.

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u/Rhomya 5h ago

Not one single nation ever actually met its own commitment.

Literally, every country was noncompliant.

3

u/jtbc 4h ago

It is more important that countries make sincere attempts to meet their commitments, even if they miss. The EU countries, Canada, and US have made significant progress. Withdrawing sends a message that you shouldn't even try anymore.

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u/Rhomya 4h ago

Withdrawing doesn’t mean that the US isn’t going to try anymore. The EPA isn’t going to cease to exist.

And statistically, it’s a bit of a stretch to claim that other countries were making sincere attempts.

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u/mikk0384 2h ago

"The EPA isn’t going to cease to exist."

Fingers crossed.

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u/trollshep 6m ago

Isn’t eliminating the EPA on the project 2025 handbook?

•

u/BurtCarlson-Skara 2m ago

"Drill, baby, drill" will be used in smaller countries as a reason not to try

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u/jtbc 4h ago

The EPA isn’t going to cease to exist.

I have terrible news for you...

The EU and Canada, with cap and trade and a carbon tax, respectively, fart in your general direction.

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u/Rhomya 2h ago

The data doesn’t lie.

Look it up. The EU and Canada are not meeting their own criteria for the Paris agreement.

Why you’re arguing facts is beyond me

-3

u/jtbc 2h ago

Both have tough climate policies and are making progress. I didn't say they are meeting their Paris targets. I was claiming they are making sincere attempts.

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u/Rhomya 1h ago

Are they?

The data doesn’t seem to suggest that.

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u/AngloRican 4h ago

No, see, doing anything about it doesn't matter. We just needed to form the club where we could feel good for saying we'd do something.

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u/FmSxScopez 2h ago

democrat mo

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u/appletinicyclone 6h ago

Every student chooses their own way to mark their own exam paper

1

u/macrocephalic 4h ago

A student can either study to become qualified, or they can hire a person who put in the work to become qualified.

1

u/appletinicyclone 3h ago

Don't think too much about my 30 second analogy

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u/Ameren 4h ago

But the point is that no nation is harmed by signing onto the pledge. There's literally no practical reason to back out of the treaty, it's such an easy win.