US Under Biden Officially Rejoins Paris Climate Pact

The United States has officially rejoined the Paris Climate Accord, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday (local time).

On January 20, on his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed the instrument to bring the United States back into the Paris Agreement.
“Per the terms of the Agreement, the United States officially becomes a Party again today. The Paris Agreement is an unprecedented framework for global action. We know because we helped design it and make it a reality. Its purpose is both simple and expansive: to help us all avoid catastrophic planetary warming and to build resilience around the world to the impacts from climate change we already see,” Blinken said in a statement.

The top US diplomat said that what “we do” in the coming weeks, months, and years is even more important adding that climate change and science diplomacy can never again be “add-ons” in foreign policy discussions.

“Addressing the real threats from climate change and listening to our scientists is at the center of our domestic and foreign policy priorities. It is vital in our discussions of national security, migration, international health efforts, and in our economic diplomacy and trade talks,” he added.

“We are reengaging the world on all fronts, including at the President’s April 22nd Leaders’ Climate Summit. And further out, we very much looking forward to working with the United Kingdom and other nations around the world to make COP26 a success,” the top diplomat said.

Paris accord goal is related to limit global warming to well below 2 degree Celsius, and preferably limit it to 1.5 degree Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. It was adopted by 196 countries at Conference of the Parties COP 21 in Paris in December 2015 and signed on 22nd April 2016.

According to Sputnik, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on countries worldwide join the United States in committing to net zero emissions by 2050 to prevent the worst effects of climate change. Biden has pledged to put the United States, the second-largest producer of carbon emissions after China, on track to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

“President Biden’s commitment to net-zero emissions means that countries producing two-thirds of global carbon pollution are pursuing the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050,” Guterres said in a press conference. “If adopted by every country, city, financial institution and company around the world, a global coalition for carbon neutrality by 2050 can still prevent the worst impacts of climate change.”

Guterres also called the Biden administration’s decision to reenter the Paris Climate Accord, which takes place on Friday, a “key moment” that strengthens global action toward sustainability.

Former President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement in November 2020 making the signatories nation number to 195. He said that the agreement was made to “kill the (American) economy.

Speaking at the G-20 Summit held via video conference, Trump said that his decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement was “to protect American workers”.

“To protect American workers, I withdrew the United States from the unfair and one-sided Paris Climate Accord, a very unfair act for the United States. The Paris Accord was not designed to save the environment. It was designed to kill the American economy,” he said.

In January this year, Biden has also moved to rejoin the human rights body, marking it as another reversal by the President of Trump’s policies. He has also ensured that Washington has rejoined the World Health Organization. (ANI)