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illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on POLITICO or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: President-elect Donald Trump is expected to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement for a second time when he takes office in January, potentially faster than during his first term
• Unlike in 2017, Trump could expedite the process, taking only a year to officially exit the accord
This move would again leave the U.S. isolated as one of the only nations outside the global climate pact
🔭 The context: The U.S. was instrumental in crafting the Paris Agreement, aiming to unify countries in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing climate aid to poorer nations
• President Biden rejoined the agreement in 2021, pledging to halve U.S. emissions by 2030, though the U.S. still struggles to meet this target
• Trump's possible departure could create ripple effects, weakening climate efforts in other nations and allowing China to increase its influence in clean energy
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Another U.S. withdrawal risks weakening global climate commitments and could embolden other major emitters to reduce their climate actions
The Paris Agreement’s non-binding nature relies on countries voluntarily scaling up efforts; without U.S. leadership, ambitious emissions targets and global climate financing may be undermined
⏭️ What’s next: Trump could expedite the exit, and there’s speculation he may go further by withdrawing from the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, a foundational climate agreement
This would leave the U.S. out of annual global climate negotiations and potentially weaken international climate governance
💬 One quote: “I think we lose when the U.S. is out,” said Jonathan Pershing, a former U.S. climate envoy, warning that China’s influence could grow in the absence of U.S. engagement
📈 One stat: Global clean energy capacity has increased from 180 GW in 2016 to 600 GW in 2024, showing progress despite political shifts
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