US again puts climate fight at a crossroads

US President Donald Trump announced the US' withdrawal from the landmark Paris climate agreement just hours after being sworn in for a second term. This decision on Monday, following a similar one in 2017, poses significant challenges to global efforts to combat climate change.

The Paris Agreement aims to limit long-term global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels or, alternatively, to keep temperatures well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Trump's stance, criticizing clean energy as expensive and wasteful, signifies a stark contrast to that of his predecessor Joe Biden.

Following Biden's victory in the 2020 election, the US had rejoined the Paris Agreement in 2021, overturning Trump's 2017 withdrawal and restoring the US' responsible image on climate issues. The US Climate Alliance launched in June 2017, now comprising 24 governors, had earlier pledged to continue advancing action to counter climate change.