Introduction: The Paris Agreement’s Challenges in a Post-Trump World
In a move emblematic of his administration’s climate scepticism, President Trump signed the Executive Order Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements, signalling the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. While the procedural realities delay full disengagement until early 2026, the symbolic impact is immediate, as the decision signals a retreat from global cooperation on climate action. This withdrawal raises critical questions about the stability of international climate agreements when major emitters disengage.
The implications are profound. The U.S., one of the world’s largest historical emitters, has shifted the burden of climate mitigation to other states, particularly the European Union and China, which now face the dual challenge of scaling up their commitments while encouraging global solidarity. The leadership vacuum created by the U.S. disengagement risks undermining collective action at a time when urgent and coordinated responses to the climate crisis are necessary.
