Was Joe Biden Right to Rejoin the Paris Agreement?

Was Joe Biden Right to Rejoin the Paris Agreement?

Joe Biden became the President of the United States on January 20. One of his first accomplishments was re-entering the Paris Climate Accord to lower emissions and curb the effects of climate change. Was this a wise decision, and what even is the Paris Agreement?

Related: Why American Youth Depends on the Paris Agreement

What is the Paris Agreement

The Paris Climate Accord (a.k.a. the Paris Agreement) is an agreement between almost every country on Earth to lower carbon emissions. Countries voluntarily decide how they will keep Earth's temperatures from rising too much.

Why we left

In 2017, Donald Trump announced that he would pull out of the Paris Agreement because it disadvantaged the United States. He said that countries like China could pollute while the USA had to work to lower its emissions.

Is Biden Right?

Soon after he was sworn into office, President Joe Biden entered the Paris Agreement once again. This was a controversial move. Those that agree with him say that the agreement will help keep the rise in Earth's temperatures below 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit, while opponents argue that it will hinder economic growth.

The Bottom Line

The Paris Climate Accord is not enough to stop climate change on its own, but it is a good start. It will help the economy because climate change will cut 10% of the world's economic value by 2050, according to Swiss Re Institute. Even though the Paris Agreement is not a panacea for the planet's health, it is a crucial step to properly addressing climate change.