The Paris Agreement is a landmark international treaty signed in 2015 aimed at combating climate change and its effects. It was negotiated within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and has been ratified by 189 countries, including the United States.
However, in 2017, former US President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, citing concerns over its potential impact on the American economy. The withdrawal process took effect on November 4, 2020, making the US the only country in the world to formally exit the agreement.
The decision to withdraw sparked widespread criticism from environmentalists, world leaders, and the general public, who argued that the move would hinder global efforts to combat climate change. The decision was also met with legal challenges, including a lawsuit filed by a coalition of US states and environmental groups.
In November 2020, US President-elect Joe Biden announced his intention to rejoin the Paris Agreement on his first day in office. True to his word, President Biden signed an executive order on January 20, 2021, to rejoin the Paris Agreement, making the US a party to the treaty once again.
The move was hailed as a significant step in the fight against climate change and signaled the US`s renewed commitment to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The country is now expected to play a leading role in international climate negotiations, including the crucial COP26 summit scheduled to take place in November 2021.
In conclusion, the United States is now a party to the Paris Agreement once again, after a brief hiatus during the Trump administration. President Biden`s decision to rejoin the treaty has been widely welcomed as a positive step for global climate action, and the country is now expected to play a leading role in the fight against climate change.