U.S. On World Economic & Climate Change Meets

By: Joe Mauricio

 

The group of twenty (G20) major economies of the world failed, for the first time (in Hamburg, Germany last July 7-8, 2017), to have a full consensus on their joint statement. The United States put in a note of dissent regarding the support of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

This is a path-breaking on a negative sense for two reasons. One, the G20 was created by Washington DC, and the U.S.’ willingness to undermine the credibility of this multilateral forum does no t bode well for the body’s future. Two, the need to tackle climate change was one of the bedrocks of the international understanding of recent times .

Fortunately, the Trump administration’s skepticism has, at least, led the other member states to strengthen their commitment to Paris. It is not the first time that the U.S. or some other major power has decided to set itself apart from the rest.

But is is rare for them to do so on something as fundamentally important as climate change. More worrying is that U.S. President Trump seems willing to sacrifice his country’s long-term credible influence in return for the most symbolic of actions to keep his voters back home pleased,

This is almost the opposite of what strategy means and how a superpower is supposed to act. However, it also says something that the Paris agreement is likely to go ahead without U.S. involvement, and if local governments in the U.S. put up enough resistance, Mr . Trump’s defiance may not make much difference.

The future of multiculturalism itself is now unclear. Talk of German- Chinese Axix, or some other combination of middle powers taking global leadership role proved overblown.

Most broadly, the moment marks Trump’s decision to cede world leadership in the service of dif ferent brand of American ideology. Trump saw it as a moment for celebration, using White House rose garden to declare loyalty to American workers over world responsibilities.

With America’s exit, Germany, France, and others are position – ing themselves to take up matters of world leadership, after G 7 meeting held in Sicily, Italy, May 23, 1917, produced an odd statement on climate that was signed off by only six nations.

China, Russia, and India remain party to the climate agreement Trump is leaving, And, of course, the U.S. joined Syria and Nicaragua as the only nations in the world not part of the Paris Accord.

The nation’s diplomatic standing is also at stake. The president into this knowing that the nation word means less than it once did, with Trump surrendering a seat at future decision-making tables.

The move delivers on a camping promise, though perhaps not in the way his supporters might have thought about when they vo ted for Trump. It will not revive coal jobs in the United States, nor w ill it allow Americans to drive dirtier cars or cut down on their bills if t hey run their air-conditioners colder all summer long.

Then there are the ultimate states, planet itself. At least, while Trump is in office. It would seem that the American-driven crisis of global warming will have solutions that lar gely exclude America.