The Paris Agreement

06/03/17

“What is the Paris Agreement?”

 

Ever since some particular orange haired man decided to pull out of the Paris Agreement, people have been wondering what exactly it is and what a pull out what mean. Well, as I always say, let’s use our scientific mindsets to find out.

Ever since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the climate of the Earth has been rising at an exponential rate, so much so that we have come to the point that immediate global policy must be taken. Back in April 2016, nations from all over the world convened in the city  of Paris to sign a treaty that stipulates the following:

1. Keep the future global average temperature below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels
2. Aim to limit this temperature below 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid environmental catastrophes
3. Curb global emissions as much as possible
4. For all nations to come together every 5 years to set more ambitious targets as required by science
5. Report to each other and the public on how well they are doing to implement their targets,
6. Track progress towards the long-term goal through a robust transparency and accountability system.
7. For developed countries support and assist developing countries in implementing such policies and curbing emissions

By withdrawing from this agreement as one of the heaviest global polluters, the United States will become a dead weight that will slow the rest of the world to achieving all of these goals. If you are reading this and are an American citizen, please, call your senator to urge the president to rescind their previous statement regarding withdrawal.