Why do you think the U.S. decided to withdraw, and what role did concerns about economic burdens play in that decision? Do you agree with the argument that the agreement was unfair to the U.S., or do you think it was a necessary commitment to addressing climate change? How do you think the withdrawal impacted global efforts and international relations, did it weaken the collective fight against climate change or influence other nations’ decisions? Should economic concerns ever take precedence over environmental responsibilities in agreements like this?
The Paris Accords were a joke. There were no means of enforcement, no one was taking it seriously, And we’re way more fucked than any of them ever let on about.
Why do you think the U.S. decided to withdraw
Trump was elected.
what role did concerns about economic burdens play in that decision?
Those were the only concerns taken into account.
Do you agree with the argument that the agreement was unfair to the U.S.
No.
do you think it was a necessary commitment to addressing climate change?
Yes.
How do you think the withdrawal impacted global efforts and international relations
It’ll discourage other countries from living up to the targets of the agreement, whether they continue participating on paper or not.
It makes China’s environmental efforts look good in comparison, so the logical thing to do (if lobbyist bribes weren’t holding us back) would have been for the US to outcompete China in that field too, since being a market leader in renewable energy is getting more and more valuable with each passing year.
did it weaken the collective fight against climate change or influence other nations’ decisions
Undoubtedly.
Should economic concerns ever take precedence over environmental responsibilities in agreements like this?
For long term economic success, those environmental responsibilities must be fulfilled to account for the negative externalities of any industry that pollutes the environment. Ignoring them offsets those costs onto others, artificially increasing short-term profits.
what role did concerns about economic burdens play in that decision?
Only short term economic burdens were considered. Entire industries will make a lot more profit in the next couple years, at the cost of missing an industry-wide transition by the rest of the world. By the end of Trump’s reign, well not only be an international pariah for not even pretending to do our bit, but we’ll be stuck with a “buggy whip” industry when the world is driving “horseless carriages”
I’m sure there’s also personal spite. The guy does not like windmills
