
US begins withdrawal from Paris climate accord - pera
https://www.dw.com/en/us-begins-withdrawal-from-paris-climate-accord/a-51113107
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LatteLazy
This is an unintentionally good thing: The paris accord:

* was non-binding

* guaranteed that no nation would be challenged or monitored on it's emissions reporting

* allowed countries to just set their own targets and how to meet them

* contained no penalties for not meeting even those targets

It was an agreement for everyone to just do whatever they wanted.

Almost 20 years after the Kyoto was signed and we're no closer to an actual
agreement. Worse in fact: Paris is held up as if it matters, it fools people
into thinking something is being done.

It's not.

~~~
tom_mellior
You're not actually making the point that withdrawing from the agreement is a
good thing. What positive effects for the climate will follow? What better
agreements will this enable?

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estomagordo
I wonder how much lasting damage this administration - well, let's be frank,
this president - has done to the US' reputation when it comes to committing
long-term to agreements and contracts it has signed.

Consider the Paris climate accord. Consider threatening to not protect certain
NATO members. Consider the Iran nuclear agreement.

~~~
jamisteven
I doubt any at all really, people dont judge teams based on their coaches, or
companies based on their CEO's, just as I dont judge my friends in the UK
based on their governments decision capabilities around Brexit.

~~~
aalleavitch
The calculus changes significantly here given we are talking about a
democracy. The group chose this person (by intention or inaction).

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kennethh
Ironically the US have the highest reduction in CO2 emissions, most likely due
to the increased use of gas instead of coal. The cheap gas is caused by
increased production of oil and gas due to fracking. Another example of
technology making the world better.

[https://www.aei.org/carpe-diem/chart-of-the-day-
in-2017-us-h...](https://www.aei.org/carpe-diem/chart-of-the-day-in-2017-us-
had-largest-decline-in-co2-emissions-in-the-world-for-9th-time-this-century/)

~~~
OnlineGladiator
> Another example of technology making the world better.

Fracking isn't without its drawbacks. And since there is essentially no public
information on what chemicals they even pump into the ground (which almost
certainly leaks to groundwater sometimes, because things go wrong - like oil
spills) it's a little hard to assess its environmental impact. At least in the
US, the fracking companies don't have to tell anybody (including the
government) what chemicals they are using.

~~~
maxehmookau
> At least in the US, the fracking companies don't have to tell anybody
> (including the government) what chemicals they are using.

This is utterly terrifying. Private companies can pump unspecified junk in to
the ground with ZERO oversight? That cannot be right! This is why British
people are always worried when we hear talk of closer alignment with US
environmental "protections".

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agumonkey
They have flint experience level to deal with whatever happens right

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rapnie
After the withdrawal it is up to individual states to try to keep pace with
Paris accord. California is mentioned a lot and gives hope that US will not
become a hopeless laggard in renewable energy & climate innovation. I wonder
where other states stand on this, and how their efforts will be hampered by a
federal government not being on their side.

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notkaiho
Well, that's one campaign promise Trump is delivering on...

I guess it's because it's a discounted cost into the future whereas building
the wall would require funds now.

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tom_mellior
Looks like some sections of "the wall" have been/are being built, though
apparently it's feasible to saw through it with $100 tools:
[https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/smugglers-are-
sawing...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/smugglers-are-sawing-
through-new-sections-of-trumps-border-
wall/2019/11/01/25bf8ce0-fa72-11e9-ac8c-8eced29ca6ef_story.html)

