President Trump To Withdraw From Paris Climate Accord

Reuters is reporting that President Trump has (surprise!) decided to withdraw from the Paris climate accord.

The accord, agreed on by nearly 200 countries in Paris in 2015, aims to limit planetary warming in part by slashing carbon dioxide and other emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. Under the pact, the United States committed to reducing its emissions by 26 to 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025.

The decision to withdraw from the climate accord was influenced by a letter from 22 Republican U.S. senators, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, calling for an exit, Axios reported.

Trump has repeatedly expressed doubts about climate change, at times calling it a hoax to weaken U.S. industry. An overwhelming majority of scientists, however, say climate change is driven by human use of fossil fuels.

The withdrawal would mean only the United States joins Syria and Nicaragua as the world's only non-participants in the Paris Climate Agreement.

A recent NBC/WSJ poll shows 67% of Americans support action to combat climate change.

Reminder from April 2017 NBC/WSJ poll: A combined 67% of Americans back action to combat climate change pic.twitter.com/2d8PY0sUZ1

— Mark Murray (@mmurraypolitics) May 31, 2017