Trump Announces US Withdrawal From Paris Climate Accord, End Electric Vehicle Mandate

President Donald Trump's administration announced on Monday the United States' intention to withdraw from the Paris climate accord for a second time, a bold rejection of global efforts to tackle climate change as extreme weather events worsen worldwide.

The Republican president also revealed that his administration would declare a "national energy emergency" to significantly increase drilling in the world's largest oil and gas producer and scrap upcoming strict pollution standards for vehicles, which he has criticised as an "electric vehicle mandate."

Photo Credit: AP/PTI

"President Trump will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord," the White House stated shortly after he was sworn in, though without specifying a timeline, reported AFP.

It will take a year to formally exit the agreement once a notice is submitted to the United Nations framework that underpins international climate negotiations.

Even before the official withdrawal, this decision delivers a major setback to global cooperation aimed at reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Critics warn that it could encourage other major polluters, such as China and India, to reduce their own climate commitments.

This announcement comes as global average temperatures over the past two years have surpassed the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius warming threshold for the first time, highlighting the urgency for climate action.

"The US withdrawing from the Paris Agreement is unfortunate, but multilateral climate action has proven resilient and is stronger than any single country's politics and policies," said Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation and a key architect of the Paris Agreement.

More drilling, fewer EVs

Trump used his inauguration speech to preview a series of sweeping energy-related federal orders aimed at undoing Biden's climate agenda.

"The inflation crisis was caused by massive overspending and rising energy prices, and that is why today I will also declare a national energy emergency. We will 'Drill, baby, drill!'" Trump stated.

"We will be a prosperous nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help us achieve it," he added.

"With my actions today, we will end the Green New Deal, and we will revoke the electric vehicle mandate, saving our auto industry."

Trump's reference to the "Green New Deal" may allude to the Inflation Reduction Act-Biden's signature climate law that channels billions into clean energy tax credits-rather than the 2019 resolution of the same name, which never passed through Congress.

Praise and criticism

Trump's domestic actions were welcomed by energy industry leaders, who see the administration's policies as a return to "American energy dominance."

"The US oil and natural gas industry stands ready to work with the new administration to deliver the commonsense energy solutions Americans voted for," said Mike Sommers, president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute.

However, his actions provoked immediate backlash from environmental advocates, who argue that increasing fossil fuel production ignores the urgent need to address climate change.

"This declaration is more proof that Trump doesn't seem to recognise the real world," said Athan Manuel, director of the Sierra Club's land protection programme, in comments to AFP. "The US is producing more energy, more oil and gas than any country has ever produced."

Trump's decisions come despite overwhelming scientific consensus that the burning of fossil fuels has driven global temperatures to unprecedented levels, contributing to increasingly severe climate-related disasters.

Last year saw a string of destructive hurricanes, including Hurricane Helene-the second-deadliest storm to strike the mainland in over half a century-while this month, wildfires intensified by climate change devastated Los Angeles.