The United States submits formal notice of withdrawal from Paris agreement

The US Department of State has officially notified the United Nations that it will withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement as soon as it is eligible to do so, consistent with the terms of the Agreement. The US administration would be open to re-engaging in the Paris Agreement if its terms improved for the United States, considering that the deal would threaten the US economy: according to the White House, it would cost nearly US$3,000bn in reduced output, over 6 million industrial jobs and over 3 million manufacturing jobs.



The Paris agreement was signed by nearly 200 countries in December 2015, in an attempt to cut global GHG emissions and to keep global temperature increases "well below" 2°C. The United States, which committed in November 2014 to reduce net GHG emissions by 26%-28% below 2005 levels by 2025, formally ratified the agreement in September 2016. The Paris agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016, i.e. 30 days after 55 countries, representing 55% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or accession with the Secretary-General. In early June 2016, the US President announced the upcoming withdrawal from the Paris agreement on climate change aimed at cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. European leaders have already announced that the agreement would not be renegotiated.



Under the terms of the Paris Agreements, countries having ratified the deal are not allowed to withdraw within 4 years following the date of the Agreement coming into force: the United States should then withdraw as of 4 November 2020.