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U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and Its Possible Consequences

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Rubric: “The Common Spaces”
DOI: 10.20542/0131-2227-2020-64-4-106-118
T. Rovinskaya (mirtania@gmail.com),
Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO), 23, Profsoyuznaya Str., Moscow, 117997, Russian Federation
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Abstract. The article analyzes the tendencies and perspectives of the global climate problem solution in light of the United States’ withdrawal from the 2015 Paris Agreement. The acuteness of the global warming problem is demonstrated by constantly increasing greenhouse emission rates, especially in world’s largest economies, which directly affects the climate change. The author traces the timeline of the global climate regime formation under the United Nations, with the Paris Agreement as its latest and the most progressive element. In this context, the more politically fringe looks the decision declared by the U. S. President Donald Trump in June 2017 to completely withdraw from the Agreement from purely economic considerations. The reasons and motives of the withdrawal are thoroughly investigated, conclusions are drawn regarding the effect this step would have on the United States’ own environmental perspective, its leadership position in world politics, and especially on the international environmental cooperation in the fight against global warming. As most politicians and experts agree, while Washington will undoubtedly benefit economically in the short term, this action will have severe long-term consequences. On the one hand, being one of the most serious polluters in the world scale, the U.S. will be thrown back in the matter of air protection, which would affect environmental situation not only on the American continent, but worldwide. On the other hand, Washington’s denial of its international finan¬cial obligations enshrined in the Paris Agreement and other UN documents will cause a drastic shortage in financing of the according international programs (especially in developing countries). The decision declared by D. Trump arouse big opposition both inside the country and abroad, drew strong criticism from world political leaders (including partner countries). Eventually, the United States run the risk of becoming an outsider in the international environmental cooperation (which will continue at any rate) and facing greater environmental challenges in foreseeable future.

Keywords: Global Issues, Global Warming, Climate Change, greenhouse gases, low-carbon economy, Sustainable Development, United Nations, The Paris Agreement, USA, Donald Trump


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For citation:
Rovinskaya T. U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and Its Possible Consequences. World Eсonomy and International Relations, 2020, vol. 64, no. 4, pp. 106-118. https://doi.org/10.20542/0131-2227-2020-64-4-106-118

Contents World Eсonomy and International Relations. 2020, vol. 64, no. 4

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