"President Trump’s withdrawal formally came into force the day after Election Day in the United States. Here’s what it means."
"WASHINGTON — Au revoir, Paris Agreement. As of Wednesday, under United Nations rules, the United States is officially out of the global climate accord. Here’s a look at how it happened, what it means and what might happen next.
How did we get here?
You could be forgiven for thinking the United States quit the global climate change agreement a long time ago. Ever since 2017, when President Trump announced his intention to abandon the pact, he’s spoken about withdrawal as if it was a done deal. In fact, however, pulling out of the Paris Agreement has been a lengthy process.
On Nov. 4, 2019, the earliest possible day under United Nations rules that a country could begin the final withdrawal process, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo filed paperwork to do so. It automatically finalized a year later. So, as of Wednesday morning, the United States is officially no longer a part of the group of nations pledging to address climate change."
Lisa Friedman reports for the New York Times November 4, 2020.
SEE ALSO:
"U.S. Formally Exits Global Climate Pact Amid Election Uncertainty" (Reuters)
"Global Investor Group Urges United States To Rejoin Paris Climate Accord" (Reuters)