Paris Climate Accord Op-Ed

(Sydney Hastings-Wilkins)

To Whom it May Concern,

The planet is in danger, that cannot be denied. Whether you believe the extent of climate change is manmade or not, humans can stop it before it’s too late. Sea levels are rising, reefs are crumbling, forests are falling. The world is dying. This is not a left issue, nor is it a right issue. It’s not a problem for one country to solve, it’s a problem for all. If ever there was a time for countries around the globe to set aside their differences and conflicts and unite for a greater good, it’s now. Without the cooperation of everyone, all will, quite literally, perish. We are in a global state of emergency.

On a cold December day in 2015, world leaders gathered in Paris and came to the agreement that a change must be made. The Paris Climate Agreement was a monumental step in the global effort to combat climate change, and with each country committing to the provisions of the Agreement we were on the right track to saving the planet from certain doom. The Agreement required that all countries involved must “put forward their best efforts through nationally determined contributions and to strengthen those efforts in the years ahead.” It was opened for signature on November 4th, 2016 and, as of today, has reached 185 ratifications.

Seven months after it was opened for approval, the Trump administration released a statement that shook the foundations of the delicate structure being built. On June 1st, 2017, the United States officially withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement. I myself called the decision a “mistake”, urging Trump to rejoin the accord in order to “make our planet great again.” The US has a special duty in building the 21st century world order, as you are the ones who invented this multilateralism. You are now the one who has to preserve and reinvent it. This is a matter of life or death, and the United States is a global superpower with a responsibility to protecting its people and its home. I urge the new President-elect to take the impacts of climate change into consideration when making their policies and rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement during this new election year.

Avec respect,

Pres. Emmanuel Macron