EU braces for climate challenges as Trump eyes Paris Agreement withdrawal

Global climate diplomacy could face setbacks if Donald Trump, set to retake the presidency, exits the Paris Agreement once again.

Kate Abnett and Christian Levaux report for Reuters.


In short:

  • The European Union's climate chief warned that a U.S. departure from the Paris Agreement would harm international climate negotiations.
  • Trump’s team is reportedly drafting orders to exit the agreement, echoing his first term’s policies.
  • The EU is preparing climate plans but will miss a February deadline, aiming for completion by the U.N. climate summit in November.

Key quote:

“If that were to happen, that would be a serious blow for international climate diplomacy.”

— Wopke Hoekstra, EU climate commissioner

Why this matters:

The U.S. is the world’s second-largest emitter, and its role is pivotal in global climate pacts. A withdrawal could embolden other nations to slow their commitments, undermining efforts to address escalating climate impacts.

Two pronghorn deer running through a dry environment

Malnutrition killed Wyoming pronghorn in peak summer as vegetation withered during record heat, severe drought

Stunted lowland vegetation in the Green River Basin doesn’t bode well for one of the state’s premier herd's survival the coming winter.
An aerial view of a dry, desert location with mountains the background

The driest days in hundreds of years

In West Texas, the creeks dried up, cattle production struggled, and small towns like Candelaria slowly emptied out.
A view of the Charles River with the Harvard University campus in the background

How elite universities got tangled up in politics and petroleum

Half a century of corporate influence set the stage for Trump's attacks on higher education, a new study argues.
An aerial view of a banana tree with an encroaching wildfire and smoke

Metals in smoke, ash from Maui wildfire harmed lung health, study says

A new study finds that metal mixtures found in smoke, ash and debris after the 2023 Maui wildfires affected human lung health.
Scales of justice with a harmonious green ecosystem on one side and a dirty polluted fossil fuel plagued industrial site on the other scale.
Credit: digitalista/BigStock Photo ID: 324918955

Alito’s recusal from climate case: Too little, too late?

Justice Samuel Alito decided Monday to sit out one of the most consequential climate change cases to reach the Supreme Court, but legal experts expected continuing ramifications due to his ownership of individual corporate stocks, including in the fossil fuel industry.

Coal-burning power plant emitting air pollution against an orange sky
Credit: Faux Toe/BigStock Photo ID: 1366970

The coal industry asked for a rescue. Trump obliged

In a previously-unreported letter, a top lobbyist floated the idea of using emergency powers to keep aging coal plants open.

A coal mine in the midst of a beautiful environment

Colorado coal mine leaks nearly four times the limit

Colorado's West Elk coal mine is violating methane leak caps, the state says, and environmental groups want strict enforcement.
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.