Paris Treaty and the USA

Trump recently created headlines by moving out of the Paris Treaty. Certainly, it is a matter of concern-the Biggest Superpower has stepped out of an agreement, which atleast on paper, endeavours to save the Earth. However, in order to know the implications of the withdrawal of US from the treaty, it has to be understood that what exactly is Paris Treaty.

One, it is all about not letting humans increase the global temperature by 2% till end of the century. The countries themselves have to set targets as BIG as possible to meet the target of not increasing the global temperature by 2% by the end of the century, preferably 1.5%.

Two, the Paris Treaty is non-punitive. That means there are no punishments if the countries did not meet their self-created targets. That is had Trump not announced withdrawal from the treaty, no one could have forced him to meet the targets. But given the loud and nasty way Trump runs the administration, he declared withdrawal. And this stunned media houses, citizens around the world.

In an article, titled 'No Country is not doing ...for Paris Treaty', VOX cleared that if we are serious about what we said that it will mean no new coal-finding, no new infrastructure to burn it up, and rapid reduction of Carbon from now. 

Frankly speaking, it is impossible. The government who will try implementing required measures will sound crazy. And given the fact that much of the world has been democratized, such governments will be thrown out of power. The reader should think for herself if your government would make a law to cut electricity for two hours, would you be able to bear it. The issue would be the burning issue of next election and BAM! The visionary leader would be politically dead. The fact is everyone wants growth. And our present way of measuring growth is GDP increment and such growth requires CO2. The renewable resources despite advancement of science and technology could not presently cater to the needs of the society. It will require a  lot of investment for basic research to delve into this aspect. This will, not to say, also take time.

One is revolutionary BECC, which converts Carbon into organic matter, at least on paper. With the current technology, right now it would be an economic disaster. Studies tell it would require a land three times that of India to make such an arrangement for 'burying' the Carbon.

Trump reportedly called climate change a conspiracy by China, which attracted worldwide criticism. Later he called it a joke. But the fact is, climate change is a joke for most politicians. They meet, they discuss. But they fail to take action. Even if they sign a treaty, chances are less to make it happen. Most of them are old and would die in a couple of decades, if not years. They can't afford to take strict action for environmental protection else they will lose power. The people who will suffer by the end of the century would be the youth, the children- who are hardly in power.

How will this withdrawal impact the global environment movement?

• The consequences can be extreme. “If the US pulls out altogether, the chances increase that developing countries like Brazil or India back away from their own commitments and say, ‘Why should we bother doing this if the world’s biggest historical emitter is completely out of the game now?’” Andrew Light, Senior Fellow, Global Climate Program, World Resources Institute commented.
• The countries, who already don't take their goals seriously, would even ignore them more noticeably. In fact there are chances that those countries which think US as their enemy would loudly flout their set environmental goals made in presence of the United States. To make factories might become a political statement.
• May be and actually it should be that the next US President would be little rational and understand its role in the climate change crisis.

·        VOX, in another article said-Nearly every country on Earth has submitted a voluntary (if woefully inadequate) plan to restrain its greenhouse gas emissions, and the 2015 Paris deal created a formal process by which leaders could help one another ratchet up ambitions over time and push for stronger action at future meetings. If the world’s most powerful country steps back, that entire architecture could erode.

·        In the most extreme scenario, other countries could threaten to impose carbon tariffs on the US, sparking a trade war. That’s why many Trump allies, like Senator Bob Corker have argued it may prove smarter to stay in. But again, starting a trade war with US isn't an easy thing to do for any country.

The Paris deal among the maximum number of countries was only the initial step in tackling the crisis of climate change. According to a calculation, even if we add all the country's pledges( including US), they don't come close to keeping humanity below 2 degrees of global warming. Instead, it would be around SEVERE 3 degrees or MORE. Clearly, we were required to do a lot after this significant deal.

But then Trump came, and apparently removed all possibilities of sustenance.
Only a joint and united effort from other countries against the Superpower could make the climate little more bearable. Otherwise we could only hope for an environment-friendly President in the next American elections.