United States Leaves Paris Climate Agreement and World Health Organization Once More – Second Time Around for Trump
Donald Trump is back in the White House, and it seems the United States might continue to see-saw in and out of crucial global health and environmental organizations. In his second stint, the Home Alone 2 protagonist signed a series of contentious executive orders, one of which withdraws the country from the World Health Organization (WHO) and another that nullifies U.S. adherence to the Paris Climate Agreement.
Although these decisions may seem dramatic, they come as no surprise given Trump's attempts to remove the nation from both agreements during his first term. Alas, these withdrawals were reversed by the Biden administration before. However, with the world now surpassing the grim 1.5-degree Celsius mark above pre-industrial levels, forfeiting climate commitments is particularly risky at this critical juncture.
Trump's administration had earlier initiated the process of extricating the US from the Paris Agreement in 2017. But it was only towards the end of his first presidency that the country finally disengaged from this global pact. Re-entering the fray, Trump intends to scrap the Biden administration's "green new deal," championing the development of clean energy sources. In place of these aims, he proclaims his ambition to "drill baby drill," eliminating all barriers to American fossil fuel production.
The environmental impact of Trump's climate and energy policies could see US emissions magnify by a staggering four billion tonnes by 2030 - the equivalent of Japan and the EU's combined emissions. With these actions, the US will now join Iran, Yemen, and Libya as the only countries outside the global effort to stem climate change.
Regarding the WHO, Trump alleges bias in the organization's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, originating in Wuhan, China. As a result, he set the wheels in motion for the US withdrawal in 2020. Once more, after assuming power, Biden halted the withdrawal. The current executive order announces the US's departure from the WHO "due to the organization's mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health crises, its failure to adopt necessary reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from member states' political influence." Trump has also decried the "excessively burdensome payments" made by the US to the WHO.
As the WHO's largest funder, the US contributes approximately 20% of the organization's $6.8 billion annual budget. In response to the decision, the WHO emphasized its vital role in safeguarding global health, noting that its efforts culminate in protecting "the health and security of the world's people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, fortifying health systems, and early detection, prevention, and response to health emergencies."
By abandoning the WHO, Trump could jeopardize healthcare resources not just for Americans, but for the entire global community.
- As Trump returns to the White House, concerns persist about the U.S.'s continued involvement in essential global health and environmental organizations.
- In an effort to appease his political base, Trump has signed executive orders to withdraw the U.S. from both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris Climate Agreement.
- The ramifications of these decisions, made initially during Trump's first term, could have far-reaching effects on the global fight against climate change.
- With the world surpassing the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold above pre-industrial levels, forfeiting climate commitments could be particularly perilous.
- Trump's administration has initiated revisions to the U.S.'s stance on climate-change and environmental-science policies, prioritizing energy production over cleaner alternatives.
- Simultaneously, Trump has questioned the WHO's impartiality during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to his decision to withdraw the U.S., potentially disrupting the organization's global health endeavors and threatening vital resources for millions worldwide.
