U.S. Withdraws from Paris Climate Agreement

The United States has formally begun its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change. The process was initiated by notifying the United Nations. A White House statement said the decision was made because the accord "no longer serves American interests." Officials cited unfair economic burdens placed on U.S. businesses and workers as the reason. The Paris Agreement, signed by nearly 200 nations, aims to limit global temperature rise. Countries set their own non-binding targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The withdrawal will not be immediate. By UN rules, the process takes one year to complete. This means the U.S. exit will become official on November 4, 2020—one day after the next presidential election. The move fulfills a longstanding promise by President Donald Trump. It leaves the U.S. as the only country in the world rejecting the global pact.