After a year of extreme weather and rising global temperatures, this year’s UN climate summit is crucial. However, with President-elect Donald Trump planning to withdraw the US from the global climate process, concerns are growing. Next year is predicted to exceed 1.5 degrees of warming for the first time, a situation the Paris Agreement aims to prevent. Despite nearly 30 years of discussions, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. Only a few countries have committed to cutting emissions enough to prevent close to three degrees of warming by the end of the century.
Under previous administrations, the US played a significant role in climate talks, brokering deals and setting ambitious goals. However, with Trump’s impending departure, the US loses diplomatic leverage. The question arises whether other countries will follow suit in scaling back their climate commitments. Jonathan Pershing, former climate envoy under Obama, believes it’s unlikely. Despite Trump’s efforts to reverse climate policies previously, no other country withdrew from the Paris Agreement. The economic realities, such as the growth of clean technologies, outweigh the political rhetoric.
While the US may step back from climate action, other countries are unlikely to follow. China, for instance, has seen significant economic growth from clean technologies and is unlikely to forgo that progress. The current international agreements may not fully address the urgency of the climate crisis, but the shift towards a zero-carbon future is inevitable. The upcoming climate talks aim to accelerate action, even in the face of 72 million Americans supporting Trump’s administration, despite his climate change denial.
It’s crucial to recognize that any delay in transitioning to a zero-carbon future can have disastrous consequences. Despite the political rhetoric, the global shift towards clean technologies and renewable energy sources is gaining momentum. The US may take a step back under Trump’s administration, but the rest of the world is moving forward towards a sustainable future. Climate scientists emphasize the importance of urgent action to combat climate change, and the majority of Americans signaling support for this transition is a positive sign for the future.
