It was the withdrawal heard around the world. On June 1, President Donald Trump sent a clear message to the world with his dramatic announcement that the United States would withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. President Trump declared that the agreement is a bad deal for the United States and that the economic disadvantages of the agreement outweigh the uncertain environmental benefits. But the withdrawal also sends a clear message to South Florida, a region at particular risk to the effects of climate change. The message for South Florida is: you are on your own. South Florida is at the forefront of planning for the effects of climate change. But the solutions will be complex, the costs will be significant, and don't look to Washington for guidance or support.

The Paris Climate Agreement

On Dec. 12, 2015, representatives from 195 nations entered into the Paris Climate Agreement with a goal to adapt energy sources, cut down on climate change emissions and limit the rise of global temperatures. The agreement acknowledges that the threat of climate change is “urgent and potentially irreversible” and can only be addressed with the “widest possible cooperation by all countries.” However, the agreement is an aspirational document; it is not a binding treaty and there are no implementing regulations. The central goal of the agreement is to limit the rise in global average temperature to less than 2 degrees Celsius as compared to pre-industrial levels. Each participating country is required to set goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but each country's plan to reach the goals is left to their discretion. The agreement merely provides a framework to gain momentum in combatting climate change and adapting to its effects. Through the agreement, the United States pledged to reduce U.S. emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and 26 percent by 2025. The United States also pledged to contribute $3 billion to the effort, and has already invested over $1 billion.

Impact of U.S. Withdrawal

The United States is the largest economy in the world and the second largest producer of greenhouse gasses. Accordingly, the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement is a major setback for international efforts to avert global warming. Because the agreement was not ratified by the Senate, the United States will face few barriers for withdrawal. President Trump intends to invoke the formal withdrawal mechanism within the agreement, a legal process that will take four years to complete and will lead to an official exit on Nov. 4, 2020, the day after the next presidential election. While a future administration could choose to rejoin the agreement, President Trump has already begun efforts to reverse the climate change initiatives of the Obama administration, including cancelling the Clean Power Plan and regulations that capped the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted from power plants. Meanwhile, over 30 states and 88 cities, as well as many large corporations, have pledged to adhere to the terms of the Paris Agreement despite the formal U.S. withdrawal.