The Trump Administration announced the United States’ official withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement on Monday with a letter sent to the United Nations.

This took place on Wednesday, the day after millions of Americans voted for the best fit representative to lead the country. 

Trump has been consistent with his desire for cutting back on the country’s involvement in such issues for years. In 2017, he formally announced his intention to withdraw from the agreement at the White House. 

He stated, “The Paris Climate accord is simply the latest example of Washington entering into an agreement that disadvantages the United States to the exclusive benefit of other countries… Thus, as of today the United States will cease all implementation of the non-biding Paris accord and the … economic burdens the agreement imposes on our country.” 

If any nations are to drop out of the agreement, a notice is to be announced at least three years after ratification.  The drop out then can’t be official until 12 months after announcing withdrawal.

The U.S. is the only one to walk away from this agreement, not having fulfilled its promise to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The agreement, in full, the Paris Agreement Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, was adopted in December of 2015. 

The goal is for over 200 nations to pledge to address the issue of climate change and the critical actions needed, primarily reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change.

Environmental reporter for the Guardian, Oliver Milman, reflected that this was a “Historic moment where for the first time the world got together and said let’s do something about climate change.”

He also stated that it was the only agreement binding the whole planet together for the greatest threat to our future.

Although it is a pledge for nations to address climate change, this is only a base of the solution to a greener future for Earth.

The Paris Agreement stemmed from the earlier international protocol, the Kyoto Protocol which came from another treaty designed to curb the release of greenhouse gases. 

In terms of Climate Change, Trump has kept his word when it comes to actions to undo what Obama implemented for the United States.

Trump’s disbelief of climate change and desire for increasing fossil fuel burning has affected major programs that former President Barack Obama put in place to address the issue. This includes the Climate Action Plan, Clean Power Plan, and other rules.

On his reasons for leaving the Paris agreement and significant climate policies, Trump said it will be bad for the economy.

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As far as the promises that the US made for the Paris Agreement, they were to reduce the Country’s emissions by 25%  to 28% by the year 2025. Currently the country has achieved about 17% reduction.

Under the Obama administration, the United States pledged $3 billion for the cause.

The Trump administration withdrew two-thirds of that money once Trump was in office. 

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020 has seen 16 climate-driven disasters costing at least $1 billion each.

So what does the future hold for our planet?

As the election race continues and Americans wait in anticipation for an answer, the lives of future generations seem to lie in one major decision.

Another four years with Trump in the White House could be catastrophic for the environment. 

As president, Trump would likely be successful in delaying action to climate change issues while scientists state that time is dwindling for saving the planet.

Depending on how intense COVID’s  hit to the economy will be, the emissions by the US could drop between 20% and 27% below 2005 levels by the year 2025. However those reductions are now not enough to make significant changes to global heating. 

According to an analysis by the Climate Action Tracker, even if the whole world matched the efforts by the US with their emissions, it would still rise 2 to 4 degrees Celsius.

Furthermore, with the US out of the agreement, the global fund contributions to smaller and poorer countries for the costs of climate change will cease.

In the case that Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins, the future looks brighter for the race to save our planet. 

Biden has promised that if he wins the election, he will put the US back into the Paris  agreement. 

If he were to do so, the U.S. could officially resume its role under the Paris Agreement by mid-February.

Biden also has promised that if elected, he will put plans in the motion for cutting US emissions to net zero by 2050.

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Hoosiers are already feeling the impact of climate change through rising temperatures and heavy rainfall.

According to the Indiana Climate Change Impacts Assessment, the state’s average annual temperature has increased by 1.2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1895 and they could rise another 5 degrees easily by 2050.

The average precipitation has also gone up by at least 6 inches since 1895.

The biggest hit that Hoosiers will take is in our crops. Indiana’s food crops generate $31 billion per year. According to Purdue researchers, corn yields will begin to fall more as temperatures rise and soybean yields will decline to 9 to 11 percent.

The reality of such a big decision for the United States is that it affects everyone, and right now it is in the hands of the citizens of this country.

Executive director of the global environmental advocacy group 350.org, May Boeve said in an article on Trump’s decision that leadership is key. 

She stated, “Whatever the final result of the election, don’t count the United States out…There are millions of Americans who reject this regression, are committed to climate justice, and are demanding that the U.S. … uphold the goals of Paris and go beyond.”