US President Donald Trump has finally decided on the US' membership on the Paris climate pact after delaying his decision for weeks. He recently announced that the country will continue to its plan to withdraw from the accord at the White House Rose Garden, a controversial decision that fulfilled his campaign promise and stirred criticisms from other members and concerned environmentalists.
In an article published in Reuters, Trump announced that the US will stop implementing the "bad" Paris climate pact, which was formulated back in 2015 under the administration of former US President Barack Obama. However, he said that he will look to renegotiate the deal and see if it is going to be "fair" for the country.
"I cannot, in good conscience, support a deal that punishes the United States," he said. Trump illustrated the Paris climate pact as an agreement that would put the citizens of United States on the disadvantaged level as countries like China and Indie would harvest the benefits.
Trump, who is known for his protectionist policies and staunch nationalist statements, said that the Paris climate pact is not in line with his agenda of "putting America first". "As of today, the United States will cease all implementation of non-binding Paris accord and the draconian financial and economic burdens the agreement imposes on our country," he said.
In an article published by BBC, the US is the world's second largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China, which prompted the countries to formulate the Paris climate agreement. Trump's decision on withdrawing from the agreement could impose serious threats to the environment as the emissions could increase the global temperature, environmentalists said.
Furthermore, Trump said that the Paris climate pact would harm the employment of the US citizens, particularly in the coal mining industry. He said that his decision would be highly beneficial to the mining industry of the country.
Before Trump's decision of withdrawing the country's membership on the 196-party Paris climate pact, he already ignited criticisms both from Democrats and Republicans, citing environmental and global political ties concern. The US now joins Nicaragua and Syria as the countries that are not part of the agreement.
