What Does Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement Mean for Climate Action?
Donald Trump assumed office as the 47th President of the United States and, as one of his first acts, signed an executive order to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement—the world’s most significant effort to combat rising global temperatures.
This decision follows a year in which global temperatures surpassed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time. While the Paris Agreement is not legally binding, it remains the cornerstone of global efforts to curb climate change.
What is the Paris Climate Agreement, and why does 1.5°C matter?
Scientists caution that every 0.1°C rise in temperature increases risks such as longer heatwaves, stronger storms, and wildfires. The 1.5°C target was set to prevent more severe and potentially irreversible impacts of climate change.
Key differences between a 1.5°C and 2°C temperature rise include:
- Heat: Mid-latitude extreme hot days could be 4°C hotter at 2°C, compared to 3°C at 1.5°C.
- Sea levels: An additional 0.1m rise at 2°C could expose 10 million more people to frequent flooding.
- Coral reefs: Over 99% would be lost at 2°C, compared to 70-90% at 1.5°C.
Signed in 2015 by 194 parties, the Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C and achieve net-zero emissions by the second half of this century. It also commits wealthier nations to provide climate funding to help poorer countries transition to cleaner energy.
While the agreement targeted $100bn annually by 2020, this goal was met only in 2022. At COP29 in 2024, countries updated this figure to $300bn annually by 2035, with aspirations to raise $1.3 trillion from public and private sources. However, many developing nations criticized this as insufficient.
Trump’s Criticism and Policy Shift
During a speech at the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, shortly after his inauguration, Trump labeled the Paris Agreement a “ripoff.” In his inaugural address, he declared, “We will drill, baby, drill,” promising a new era of oil and gas exploration.
He vowed to lower energy prices, refill strategic reserves, and establish the US as a leading energy exporter. “We will become a rich nation again, and the liquid gold beneath our feet will play a key role in achieving it,” he told the crowd.
With this withdrawal, the US joins Iran, Yemen, and Libya as the only countries currently outside the Paris Agreement, which marked its 10th anniversary in 2025. Despite progress at recent COP summits, current policies still put the world on track for 2.6–2.8°C warming by 2100. Achieving net-zero pledges could reduce this to 1.9°C, but stronger commitments and actions are urgently needed.
