US formally exits Paris pact aiming to curb climate change

United States on Wednesday formally left Paris Agreement, a global pact forged five years ago to avert threat of catastrophic climate change.

move, long threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump and triggered by his ministration a year ago, furr isolates United States in world but has immediate impact on international efforts to curb global warming.

Some 189 countries remain committed to 2015 Paris accord, which aims to keep increase in aver temperatures worldwide “well below” 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), ideally, more than 1.5C (2.7 F), compared to pre-industrial levels. A furr six countries have signed, but t ratified pact.

Scientists say that any rise beyond 2 degrees Celsius could have a devastating impact on large parts of world, rising sea levels, stoking tropical storms and worsening droughts and floods.

Paris accord requires countries to set ir own voluntary targets for reducing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. only binding requirement is that nations have to accurately report on ir efforts.

United States is world’s second-biggest emitter after China of heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide and its contribution to cutting emissions is seen as important, but it is t alone in effort. In recent weeks, China, Japan and South Korea have joined European Union and several or countries in setting national delines to stop pumping more greenhouse gases into atmosphere.

While Trump ministration has shunned federal measures to cut emissions, states, cities and businesses in United States have pressed ahe with ir own efforts.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has said he favours signing U.S. back up to Paris accord.

With United States outside pact, it will be harder for rest of world to reach agreed goals.

(Im: AP)