Far be it
for me to act like any kind of expert on climate change, but I do get amusement
out of the outrage at Trump’s “incomprehensible” decision to withdraw from the
Paris Agreement – mostly because the accords themselves were largely symbolic
and without any real teeth to enforce the proposed mandates.
The United
States is already a country that has reduced its carbon footprint because it
stands at the forefront of technological innovation – the problem really lies
with China and India, countries that are looking to emulate the United States but
with far larger populations, and who will no doubt allow their economic
imperatives to trump any stipulations that the Paris Agreement may announce. To that line of reason, I think Stratfor
summed it up well: “Geopolitical forces,
rather than international deals, have shaped the United States’ incorporation
of cutting-edge technologies since long before Trump was elected, and they will
continue to do so long after his tenure ends.” Thus, I don’t think there is real risk to the
United States’ withdrawal, and it does not mean that the conversation about
climate change and how to address it will end.
Nevertheless, I don’t think the current environment is conducive to that
kind of nuance and reason, so instead we will just get vitriol and hot air
about what to make of the situation.
