It is time for the US to revamp its policies to welcome the accord
SHIKARPUR: The initial months of US President Donald Trump’s leadership seemed tactless for the US environmental policy. The first and foremost action was seen when Trump signed the executive order on promoting energy independence and economic growth on March 28th. The signature was aimed at reconsidering several environmental models. But for Trump it aimed at improving the coal industry that will devour the environmental regulations at large.
On the contrary, the Paris climate agreement was signed by 195 countries of the world. But Trump’s rollback on the clean power plan is America’s first initiative towards losing his commitment to the deal. In fact, without the positive role of the US in the agreement, it would be difficult to complete its objectives. On the other hand, former president Barack Obama had accepted the convention and had welcomed its policies to combat climate change at any cost.
Trump’s anti-environmental agenda will lead the world towards the worst kind of human crisis. This agenda will surely displace hundreds of millions people worldwide. Experts predict that by 2050, the world will see a great chunk of 200 million people displaced by climate change. In 2016 alone, more than 65.3 million people were displaced by these conditions.
As a result, ‘Trumpian’ policies are almost against the Paris climate agreement, which is based on appropriate strategies to control over climate change. Thus, the US must accept the agreement and help it achieve its major aim of limiting global temperature rise to 2 Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2100. It is time for the US to revamp its policies to welcome the accord and save humanity from despicable drought, tormenting disaster and harmful displacement.
Wajahat Abro
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2017.
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