Four more years of Donald Trump could ‘delay global emissions cuts by 10 years’

(CarbonBrief, 27 May 2020) Donald Trump’s decision to step back from international climate action pushes any prospect of hitting global emissions targets to “near zero”, according to new analysis.

Modelling suggests there are only very limited circumstances where the Paris Agreement’s warming limit of 2C is met – and a US departure from the landmark 2015 deal restricts those options further for every term Trump is in office.

While the immediate effects will be felt at home, ultimately, the knock-on impacts of “the Trump effect” will be “even more detrimental” for international efforts, the study finds.

The research, published in Environmental Science and Policy, suggests two presidential terms of US inaction on climate change would create ripple effects across other nations. Ultimately, this could delay global emissions reduction by a decade.

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CarbonBrief, 27 May 2020: Four more years of Donald Trump could ‘delay global emissions cuts by 10 years’