The Paris Climate Agreement, 5 Years On

 

The United States has been led down the path of fascism for the past four years by a president totally unqualified to manage a convenience store, let along the most powerful nation on Planet Earth. While his abysmal response to the COVID-19 epidemic has led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands and left millions in economic crisis, the deliberate choice to undermine efforts to address the Climate Emergency, including withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, are arguably much more grave. 

The President-elect, Joe Biden, has indicated that one of his first actions after his inauguration in January will be to rejoin the Paris Agreement,  a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 parties at COP 21 in Paris, on  the 12th of December 2015 and entered into force on the 4th of November 2016. Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. 

President Obama strongly supported the Paris Agreement, but his successor,.and now outgoing president, withdrew the United States from the deal, for reasons which were always vague and certainly not grounded in science. Before withdrawal 75 CEOs urged the outoing president to stay in the accord Major corporations including Apple, Google, Goldman Sachs and Shell signed a statement that argued it would strengthen their competitiveness in global markets and allow the U.S. to be a leader in developing technology that curbs carbon emissions.

Many states and cities in the US maintained their commitment to actions supporting the international agreement but the withdrawal by the federal administration was a huge blow. 

There has been cynicism about achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, and, five years on humanity has not reversed the rise in greenhouse gases. Here in Canada the federal government makes the right noises about supporting the agreement but has made baffling decisions which are contrary to meeting even modest goals.

On the eve of the 5th anniversary communities of faith can remain alert and hopeful in upholding the Paris Agreement as a serious effort to care for the Earth, in all it's wonderful complexity and variety. Our Judeo/Christian scriptures affirm this again and again. 

We can pray that this new US administration will act with urgency and courage. We really do need the global leadership America can offer.