US formally notifies UN about its withdrawal from Paris Climate Accord

Washington, November 5: The US has formally notified the United Nations that it was withdrawing from the Paris climate accord. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the withdrawal, saying the agreement had imposed what he called an unfair economic burden on the US. The notification begins a one-year process of exiting the global climate change accord, culminating the day after the 2020 US election.

 

Pompeo said, “Today we begin the formal process of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. The U.S. is proud of our record as a world leader in reducing all emissions, fostering resilience, growing our economy, and ensuring energy for our citizens. Ours is a realistic and pragmatic model.”

 

The agreement brought together 188 nations to combat climate change. It committed them to keep rising global temperatures below 2 Celsius above pre-industrial levels and attempting to limit them even more, to a 1.5 Celsius rise. The US contributes about 15 per cent of global emissions of carbon.

Last year, announcing his decision to withdraw from the Paris accord, President Trump said he would exit or re-negotiate any deal which fails to serve America's interests.