When did the United States Join the Paris Agreement?
The Paris Agreement is a landmark international accord that was signed by 196 countries in 2015. Its main objective is to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degree Celsius.
The United States, under President Barack Obama, played a key role in the negotiations and signed the Paris Agreement on April 22, 2016. The signing of the agreement was a major milestone in the fight against climate change, as the US is the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, right after China.
The Paris Agreement was ratified by the United States on November 4, 2016, just days before the presidential election. The US Senate did not vote on the agreement, as it was not considered a treaty that required legislative approval. Instead, President Obama was able to ratify it through executive action, which did not require congressional approval.
However, in June 2017, President Donald Trump announced that the US would withdraw from the Paris Agreement, citing concerns about the impact of the agreement on the US economy and jobs. The withdrawal process took three years to complete, and officially ended on November 4, 2020, the day after the presidential election.
President-elect Joe Biden has promised to rejoin the Paris Agreement on his first day in office, signaling a renewed commitment to fighting climate change. His administration is expected to prioritize climate policy and reduce US greenhouse gas emissions to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
In conclusion, the United States joined the Paris Agreement on April 22, 2016, under the Obama administration. However, the country withdrew from the agreement under the Trump administration in 2017, with the withdrawal process completed on November 4, 2020. The upcoming Biden administration has vowed to rejoin the agreement and prioritize climate policy.