{"id":81841,"date":"2026-01-10T10:44:37","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T05:14:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=81841"},"modified":"2026-01-10T10:52:05","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T05:22:05","slug":"us-climate-body-exit-brings-mixed-relief-and-risks-for-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/us-climate-body-exit-brings-mixed-relief-and-risks-for-india\/","title":{"rendered":"US Climate Body Exit Brings Mixed Relief and Risks for India"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>US Climate Body Exit Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The United States has announced its withdrawal from the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/united-nations-framework-convention-on-climate-change-unfccc\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>)<\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and over 60 international treaties and organisations it says no longer serve American interests.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The exit includes key climate bodies such as the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/what-is-the-intergovernmental-panel-on-climate-change-ipcc\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>)<\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/international-solar-alliance\/\" target=\"_blank\">International Solar Alliance (ISA)<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and the International Renewable Energy Agency (<\/span><b>IRENA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This follows the earlier decision by President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, a move that will take effect on January 20 after the mandatory one-year notice period.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over the past year, the Trump administration has also cut funding and staffing for US climate research agencies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Together, these steps mark a near-total US disengagement from the global climate governance system, casting serious doubt on the effectiveness and future of multilateral efforts to address climate change.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>The United States\u2019 Emissions Profile<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The United States ranks among the top countries for annual and per-capita carbon emissions.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data from the Global Carbon Project show that US territorial CO\u2082 emissions in 2024 were about 4.9 billion tonnes, accounting for roughly 12.7% of global emissions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2024, US per-capita CO\u2082 emissions stood at around <\/span><b>14.6 tonnes per person<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, far exceeding the global average, underlining the country\u2019s carbon-intensive consumption patterns.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The US is also the <\/span><b>largest cumulative emitter<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of CO\u2082 from fossil fuels and industry. Its share of historical global emissions is about <\/span><b>24%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, total US greenhouse gas emissions were 6.3 billion metric tonnes of CO\u2082-equivalent in 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Land use and forests offset roughly 13% of these emissions as a net carbon sink.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>US and Climate Action: A Longstanding Love\u2013Hate Relationship<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The United States played a key role in shaping the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), recognising climate change and setting global principles.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it never joined the Kyoto Protocol, which imposed binding emission targets.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Architect of Paris, Weak on Delivery<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The US actively pushed for an alternative to Kyoto, culminating in the Paris Agreement.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet, its performance under Paris has been poor, with limited emissions cuts and inadequate delivery on finance and technology commitments.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Engagement Without Denial (Pre-Trump Era)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite shortcomings, the US did not deny climate change.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It remained engaged in global climate talks, invested heavily in climate science and clean technologies, and promoted green investments domestically and internationally.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Trump Era: From Ambivalence to Undermining<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under President Donald Trump, the US shifted sharply.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A declared climate sceptic, Trump openly mocked climate action, withdrew from agreements, and slashed funding for climate research\u2014moves that risk long-term global setbacks given the US\u2019s scientific leadership.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Fallout of the US Exit from Global Climate Institutions<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The US withdrawal from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and related bodies was not entirely unexpected, given its earlier exit from the Paris Agreement and cuts to climate research funding.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the world was already <\/span><b>off track to meet 2030 targets<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014and the US itself was not contributing meaningfully\u2014the short-term global impact may be marginal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The deeper fallout will hinge on whether future administrations reverse course. A <\/span><b>prolonged US absence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> could weaken multilateral climate cooperation and delay collective action over the long run.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By disengaging, the United States risks <\/span><b>surrendering leadership to China<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is aggressively expanding renewable energy manufacturing, deployment, and supply chains.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Renewables\u2019 Irreversible Momentum<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most countries are already committed to renewables for energy security and affordability.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Solar and wind are now economically and strategically attractive, making a full reversal of the energy transition unlikely.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Efforts to boost fossil fuel output\u2014such as expanding oil supply\u2014may slow the transition but won\u2019t stop it.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By vacating the clean energy space, the US risks undermining its own long-term economic interests and geopolitical leverage.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Impact on India\u2019s Climate and Energy Transition<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The United States exit from global climate bodies may ease short-term pressure on India to decarbonise rapidly.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it also introduces uncertainty for India\u2019s plans to attract investments in clean technologies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Setback to India\u2013US Climate Cooperation<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before President Donald Trump\u2019s second term, India and the US shared a strong strategic partnership on climate and clean energy, with US support across multiple energy sectors.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This collaboration is now expected to stall, potentially forcing India to recalibrate its energy transition pathways.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>International Solar Alliance and Funding Gaps<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The US has withdrawn from the <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/international-solar-alliance\/\" target=\"_blank\">International Solar Alliance (ISA)<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which India co-founded with France on the sidelines of COP21 Paris.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although the US joined the ISA in 2021 as its 101st member, it provided no financial support.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 2025 decision to levy annual membership fees is yet to be implemented, leaving questions over future funding and momentum.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-climate\/us-exit-climate-bodies-relief-challenges-india-10462603\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IE<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/energy-and-environment\/trump-unfccc-usa-exit-climate-finance-diplomacy-analysis\/article70485089.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">TH<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>US climate body exit from UNFCCC, IPCC and ISA may ease pressure on India but risks climate finance, clean energy investment, and global climate leadership.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":81859,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[60,22,59,4653],"class_list":{"0":"post-81841","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-mains-articles","9":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","10":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","11":"tag-us-climate-body-exit","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81841","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81841"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81841\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}