Which Countries Left the Paris Agreement in 2017

Which Countries Left the Paris Agreement in 2017?

The Paris Agreement, an international treaty signed in 2015, aims to combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The United States was one of the initial signatories of the agreement, but in 2017, the country announced its intention to withdraw. President Donald Trump`s decision sparked controversy around the world, but the US was not the only country to leave the agreement that year. In this article, we will take a closer look at the other countries that left the Paris Agreement in 2017.

1. Syria

Syria was not one of the initial signatories of the Paris Agreement, but the country announced its intention to join in November 2015. However, Syria was in the midst of a civil war and did not attend the UN climate talks in Paris that year. In 2017, the Syrian government cited the ongoing war as the reason for its decision to delay its ratification of the agreement.

2. Nicaragua

Nicaragua was also not one of the initial signatories of the Paris Agreement. The country initially refused to join the agreement, arguing that it did not go far enough in addressing climate change. Nicaragua believed that developed countries should take more responsibility for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, in 2017, Nicaragua announced that it would join the agreement after all.

3. The United States

The US was one of the initial signatories of the Paris Agreement, but in 2017, President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw. Trump argued that the agreement would hurt US businesses and workers and that the country had already made significant progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the decision was widely criticized by world leaders, environmental activists, and even some US businesses.

Conclusion

While the US was the most high-profile country to leave the Paris Agreement in 2017, Syria`s delay and Nicaragua`s subsequent decision to join the agreement were also significant. The Paris Agreement remains a crucial international effort to combat climate change, and the decision of any country to withdraw or delay ratification is a setback for that effort. However, as more countries continue to join the agreement, there is hope that progress will continue to be made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change.