Iran Press/ Europe: The goal of the 24th Conference of Parties (COP24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is to hammer out critical details of the Paris climate agreement.
Under the 2015 accord, countries set out to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels by 2100 at most, with a preferred target of 1.5 degrees Celsius, Vox Media reported.
The outcome of the negotiations became increasingly uncertain after US President Trump in 2017 announced he would withdraw the United States from the accord.
US is the world’s second-largest greenhouse gas emitter and US government is a major obstacle in climate negotiations.
The United States is undermining the success of the Paris agreement. It’s not just that Trump announced his intent to withdraw from the accord. The Trump administration has gone as far as to gleefully taunt delegates at COP24 with a panel promoting the use of more coal.
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The US’s actions have given some cover to other countries who are less than enthralled with the prospect of cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
The federal government isn’t the only representative of the United States in Poland. Because of the rules of the Paris accord, the US can’t formally withdraw until after the 2020 election. But a consortium of US companies, investors, tribes, universities, and legislators have pledged to continue cutting carbon dioxide emissions in line with their commitments under the Paris accord.
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On last Monday a Trump administration team's presentation praising coal, oil and gas or the virtues of fossil fuels at the UN climate talks in Poland has been met with mockery, guffaws of laughter and chants of “Shame on you”.
Monday’s protest came during a panel discussion by the official US delegation, which used its only public appearance to promote the “unapologetic utilization” of coal, oil and gas.
This was the second consecutive year that the Trump team was heckled after promoting fossil fuels and nuclear power at the climate talks, underscoring how the US position has shifted since the president took power in 2017.
Last week, thousands of people from around the world marched through the southern Polish city of Katowice that’s hosting this year’s U.N. climate talks, demanding that their governments take tougher action to curb global warming.
Protesters included farmers from Latin America, environmentalists from Asia, students from the United States and families from Europe, many of whom said climate change is already affecting their lives.
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