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posted by martyb on Friday June 02 2017, @03:50AM   Printer-friendly
from the promises-kept dept.

[Ed Note: What follows is the official press release from President Donald Trump at the White House. It marks the official stance of the United States pulling out of the Paris Agreement. Though there is certainly a political aspect to this, I would like to see if we can try to avoid political bickering and focus discussion on the actual details of the press release. See, also, our previous coverage, Report: Trump Plans to Exit Paris Climate Agreement. --martyb]

From the desk of President Donald J. Trump

For Immediate Release

June 01, 2017

President Trump Puts American Jobs First

“Our government rushed to join international agreements where the United States pays the costs and bears the burdens while other countries get the benefit and pay nothing.” – President Donald J. Trump

ALREADY THE WORLD’S ENERGY LEADER: The United States had already become the leader in cutting CO2 emissions while still leading in oil & gas production.

  • In the United States, energy related carbon dioxide emissions have significantly declined since before the Paris Climate Accord was negotiated, and will continue to decline as a share of worldwide emissions, particularly when compared to other nations such as China and India.
    • The Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) 2017 Annual Energy Outlook reports that, from 2005 to 2016, energy related carbon dioxide emissions fell at an average annual rate of 1.4%.
    • Emissions are projected to continue to fall from 2016 to 2040. 
    • Meanwhile, the EIA reports that emissions in the developing world are expected to double their 2005 levels by 2040.
  • According to recent U.S. Energy Information Administration, the United States remained the world’s top producer of oil and natural gas combined.
  • The United States continues to be a world leader in energy, but increased competition from countries like China demonstrates the need for policies that enable America to compete on a global scale.

HARMFUL TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: The Paris Climate Accord could cost the United States economy millions of jobs and trillions of dollars in economic output over the next several decades.

  • According to an analysis by National Economic Research Associates (NERA), meeting President Obama’s commitment under the Paris Climate Accord would cost the United States nearly $3 trillion by 2040.
    • By 2040, the American economy could have 6.5 million fewer industrial sector jobs, including 3.1 million fewer manufacturing jobs.
    • Industries such as cement, iron and steel, coal, natural gas, and petroleum would be forced to cut production under President Obama’s Paris Climate Accord.

SHOULDERING THE BURDEN: Under the Paris Climate Accord, the United States would carry the burden while other countries would get the benefits.

  • Under the Obama Administration, which signed an agreement without having to deal with the economic repercussions, the United States was committed to reducing CO2 emissions by between 26 and 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025.
    • Meanwhile China can continue to increase emissions for the next 13 years.
  • The United States already contributed $1 billion to a UN Green Climate Fund. This would increase to $3 billion under pledges made by the previous Administration.

INEFFECTIVE: Even if every nation fully complied with the Paris Climate Accord, it would barely impact the climate.

  • According to researchers from MIT, if every nation that signed the Paris Climate Accord met all of their commitments until the end of the century, the impact on the climate would be negligible.

PROMISE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: President Trump is fulfilling his promise to the American people to stop international agreements that disadvantage the United States.

  • May 26, 2016, then-candidate Trump:
    • “President Obama entered the United States into the Paris Climate Accords— unilaterally, and without the permission of Congress.”
    • “So foreign bureaucrats are going to be controlling what we are using and what we are doing on our land in our country. No way.”

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by richtopia on Friday June 02 2017, @04:48AM (3 children)

    by richtopia (3160) on Friday June 02 2017, @04:48AM (#519208) Homepage Journal

    To follow up on drinking: I did zero research on my post contrary to my normal expectations. I was thinking of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, but that is completely irrelevant to today's discussion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Infrastructure_Investment_Bank [wikipedia.org]

    At the end of the day the Paris Agreement is lose lose for the USA:
    1. Stay in the agreement and suffer the economic growth consequences - I would say this is paying the Devil's due for the last century of oil exploitation, but it is painful to move away from fossil fuels
    2. Leave the agreement and reap the rewards. While the Accords are relatively sparse in ramifications for leavers, I suspect the international community will use this as a spring board to distance themselves from the USA, particularly with the negative feelings towards the current president

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  • (Score: 2, Insightful) by tftp on Friday June 02 2017, @05:27AM (1 child)

    by tftp (806) on Friday June 02 2017, @05:27AM (#519223) Homepage

    I suspect the international community will use this as a spring board to distance themselves from the USA, particularly with the negative feelings towards the current president

    I can't imagine anyone of significance on this Earth who would be terribly concerned that some countries are and other are not a part of this Paris Agreement.

    • (Score: 0, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 02 2017, @01:46PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 02 2017, @01:46PM (#519341)

      Wait, your failure of imagination is now a meaningful indicator of international politics?
      That may be the most narcisstic post I've seen here and we've got idiots like runaway, frojack and the mighty butthurt who are archons of dunning-krueger

  • (Score: 1) by khallow on Friday June 02 2017, @03:14PM

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday June 02 2017, @03:14PM (#519396) Journal

    I suspect the international community will use this as a spring board to distance themselves from the USA, particularly with the negative feelings towards the current president

    Sounds interesting and not necessarily bad.