The newly inaugurated President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced as one of his first actions, according to the White House, that he would withdraw the country from the Paris Agreement for the second time. Trump had first pulled the United States out of the agreement in 2017.
During the interim between Trump’s terms, under President Joe Biden’s leadership, the country had rejoined the climate agreement. The United States plays a significant role not only in the global economy but also in climate efforts, as it is the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China, with approximately 6 billion tons of CO₂-equivalent emissions.
Upon taking office, Trump also declared a “national energy emergency” and announced that the United States would drill more oil and gas than ever before. His administration is expected to take measures that are projected to even double the use of fossil fuels.
The EU has a key role to play
With the absence of a player the size of the United States, leadership in climate efforts would be even more available to the EU. Through smart actions and setting the right direction, the Union could play a crucial role in effectively combating climate change while also benefiting economically from its responsibility.
Climate change is not going to disappear overnight, so there will be an increasing demand for climate- and environmentally sustainable solutions in the future. If the EU leads this development, it could ensure that international development funding is directed towards effective climate actions rather than just new forms of development aid.
The UN climate budget has been called to establish clearer criteria to ensure that the allocated funds are used as efficiently and effectively as possible.
There is a place and need for development aid, but by directing climate funds towards it, resources for mitigating climate change are reduced, further exacerbating social challenges in the future.
Leading by example with its own initiatives
At the forefront of change, exporting good solutions elsewhere is not enough; the Union's own emissions must also be significantly reduced.
For example, under the current CRCF framework, emissions can be offset through voluntary carbon markets, which, however, lack a general carbon sink registry. These shortcomings should be addressed immediately to make climate actions more effective.
As a leader, the EU also has the opportunity to define global climate action standards, which should be tailored to fit European solutions. In this transformation, it is better to be a trendsetter, not a follower.
What is now needed from the EU are its own key initiatives with actionable solutions, not just complaints. There is a leadership gap in the climate field, which will eventually be filled in one way or another. From both a Union and a global climate and environmental perspective, it would be most desirable for the EU to take on the mantle of leadership more strongly.
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