https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uPoZhFrJ7Y
President Donald Trump announced the US's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord Thursday, following through on one of his campaign promises.
The agreement, scheduled to being in 2020, was signed by 197 parties (196 countries and 1 economic integration organization), and has been ratified by 147 parties. The goal is to reduce climate emissions around the globe.
The Paris accord and the decision to leave has divided people on the left and the right even more than the issue of climate change already does.
Those in agreement of withdrawing say this puts American workers first, and that the U.S. would bear the brunt of the costs of the agreement for the first 10 years.
The president stated, “I don’t work for the people of Paris, I work for the people of the United States.”
Those in opposition of withdrawing say the president is out of touch with the rest of the world, and that doubting relevant science has not only damaged our foreign relationships, but also accelerated the devastating impacts of global warming.
Reaction on Twitter has been swift and powerful on both sides. From the Left:
https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/870374738597564416
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/870369915894546432
https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/870363612350754817
And from the right.
https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/870364139184697347
https://twitter.com/McConnellPress/status/870370950763741184
https://twitter.com/LindseyGrahamSC/status/870371177163886594
The Paris deal, while not a binding agreement, is the world's first comprehensive climate plan.