Should the Trump Administration withdraw from the Paris Agreement or "stay at the table?"
When Donald Trump became President of the US in 2017, he withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The US was on the sidelines of UN negotiations during the Trump Presidency - not a major player. I wrote to the Trump Administration, urging it to stay in the Paris Agreement. I have taught negotiation for almost 40 years and have read Trump's book The Art of the Deal, and I recommended that the Trump Administration keep the US seat at the table, even as it disagreed with the Obama Administrations's policies and much of the Paris Agreement. There3 is more to be gained by stayng engaged - staying at the table - than by walking away. When one walks away, one loses voice and influence. Other countries and negotiators continue to move forward. The Trump Adminstration never answered my letter. In 2025 President-elect Trump will likely take the US out of the Paris Agreement again. And yes, I will write again urging the Trump Administration to keep the US seat at the table.
Hi Dr. Walker! I agree with you, I think that the Trump Administration should keep the US seat at the table. It is important to have the US voice still heard. Like you said, if he walks away, the US loses their voice and influence. I think it would also look poorly on the US if he walked out on it. An article from USA Today discusses that the Exxon Mobil CEO, Darren Woods, also believes that Trump should stay in the Paris Agreement. Woods believes that the 'stops and starts' are 'extremely inefficient' and that it creates a lot of uncertainty in the US. The only worry with Trump still staying in it is that he may break the only binding requirement, which is to accurately report on the US efforts to mitigate climate change. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/11/12/exxon-mobil-darren-woods-trump-paris-climate-agreement/76231448007/
ReplyDeleteI fully agree that the Trump Administration should "stay at the table" when it comes to the Paris Agreement, we truly lose nothing by staying in the conversation but by walking away we as a country show that we do not take climate change seriously. With companies that rely on the drilling of oil like Exxon Mobil's CEO coming out and stating that the Trump Administration should not withdraw due to it causing an economic concern related to the back-and-forth policies between each administration, hopefully, the Trump Administration will see it from a dollar standpoint if nothing else and choose to keep us in the talks.
ReplyDelete(Article speaking on the constant back and forth of policy agreements effecting the natural oil companies financially)
https://fortune.com/2024/11/12/donald-trump-elon-musk-climate-change-paris-agreement-exxon-oil/
I also think that the US should remain part of the Paris climate agreement. Not only would leaving once again prevent the US having a voice in global policy and discussion, but it also shows that we are an unreliable ally. As a country we need to show our commitment to the climate and to our allies, and switching policies so drastically as administrations change is not how we do that. Participation in the Paris Climate agreement shows that the US is as dedicated to taking on climate change as the other members, and leaving serves only to show that we as a country do not care about the future.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.state.gov/the-united-states-officially-rejoins-the-paris-agreement/ (Article regarding the rejoining of the Paris agreement in 2021.)
I think staying involved in discussions "at the table" is important for the Trump Administration to have a say in global policy and discussions. Even if the current policies aren't something the Administration is interested in, leaving altogether surely will lead to a loss of trust across international boundaries.
ReplyDeleteAccording to this article (https://www.colorado.edu/today/2024/11/22/will-us-withdraw-paris-agreement-experts-take-climate-policy-under-trump), there may also be financial incentives to participate in more renewable projects as well, which could be another reason to stick around and at least discuss future policy.
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ReplyDeleteHello Dr. Walker, I completely agree with you, to withdraw from the Paris Agreement would mean that no more progress can be made towards climate change action. According to the Guardian, the United Nations Secretary stated that, "'The Paris agreement can survive, but people sometimes can lose important organs or lose the legs and survive. But we don’t want a crippled Paris agreement. We want a real Paris agreement.'" The UN Secretary has a good point, the Paris Agreement will survive with or without the U.S., but for it to be at full power/ability to function the U.S. must stay. Even if we do not contribute anything, simply "staying at the table" would allow for the U.S. to be involved in these climate change initiatives, and take something away to apply to our nation. The U.S. is always in the world's eye, and if we withdraw that might mean that other countries won't be motivated to help with climate change issues. The U.S.'s influence alone is what drives a lot of nations to make important decisions, and climate change is one we should be motivating other countries to be concerned with. There is a climate change issue, and the Trump Administration needs to recognize this, be in public discussions, and work towards creating policies that will push America towards a climate solution. Therefore, it is vital that the Trump Administration has a say in climate change policies by staying in the Paris Agreement, otherwise it will subject Americans further from reaching sustainable alternatives to solve the climate crisis.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/01/a-trump-presidency-could-cripple-the-paris-climate-agreement-warns-un-chief-antonio-guterres
Hi Dr Walker, I agree that the United States should remain in the Paris Agreement and I admire how you sought to gain an understanding of the opposing side and wrote a letter stating your perspective. I believe more people should take actions such as these in all types of disagreements. In this situation, it could encourage the government to reevaluate the advantages and disadvantages of its potential decision. By stepping out of the Paris Agreement, we are not only losing our voice in climate change, but we are also reducing our influence as a country. Climate change is a major topic of discussion world wide and stepping away from it is removing our country from important decisions, conversations, and interactions with other countries. We will also make little progress in sustainability and combating climate change by lessening our interaction with other countries in its discussion. When Trump first removed the US from the Paris Agreement, he did it under the claim that combating climate change is harming our economy, but economic analyses have been done to determine whether that is true or if promoting sustainability will actually result in more long term employment opportunities. Some economists state the latter is true according to James McBride in his article, The consequences of leaving the Paris Agreement (https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/consequences-leaving-paris-agreement). The United States has nothing to gain from ignoring what has been determined a major issue world wide. If we remain in the Paris Agreement, the United States will have more opportunities and influence in climate change action whether it agrees or disagrees with what is currently being done. Having more options and decision making capability will be more advantageous to our country and provides opportunities to learn and understand the perspectives of other countries.
ReplyDeleteHello Dr Walker, I agree with you, I think that the Trump Administration should keep the US seat at the table. I find it really interesting that you did your research and not only talked about one side but both sides of the argument. Although I am uneducated on this subject, looking at this post, the comments underneath it, and articles online, I believe that trump has power. I also believe that If he were to leave the table, then there goes other countries trust out the window
ReplyDeleteDr. Walker,
ReplyDeleteYour insight into the importance of staying engaged in global climate negotiations is impactful, especially given the urgency of addressing the climate crisis. I agree that walking away from the table limits a country's influence on critical global decisions. While economic concerns have often been cited as reasons for withdrawal, finding common ground between sustainability and financial stability seems crucial. For instance, could investing in renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure provide long-term economic benefits that outweigh short-term costs? Initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act have shown that climate policy can be framed as an economic opportunity rather than a burden. How might the U.S. leverage its influence to create international frameworks that balance these priorities effectively?
An insightful resource on this topic is the book "The New Climate War" by Michael E. Mann, which explores strategies for combating climate change while addressing economic and political barriers.
Hi Dr Walker. I agree with your opinion overall. I think for things like these the better thing to do is to always at least stay, even if it does mean taking a more backseat role/relaxed approach. Because, like you said, then we can still at least be involved and have a voice. I was always under the impression that the Trump Administration did this more as a means to send a message. A message that they disagree with everything Obama and the Democratic party are doing in order to create more extreme views, which will help them gain more support. People like to support leaders that have a strong voice with strong (good or bad) views. Frankly, I don't know too much about politics, but in my view, there really is no good and moral reason to leave the Paris Agreement.
ReplyDeleteHello Dr. Walker. I agree with your viewpoint that staying engaged in the Paris Agreement, even when there are disagreements, is crucial for maintaining influence and contributing to global negotiations. The US has a significant role to play, and walking away from the table only diminishes its ability to shape outcomes that could benefit both the country and the world in addressing climate change. While the agreement is not perfect, being part of the conversation allows the US to push for changes from within, rather than allowing other nations to make decisions without input from one of the largest emitters. I think your approach of encouraging continued participation is important for ensuring that the US remains an active player in global climate solutions.
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