Seven years ago this week, then-President Donald Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, correctly declaring U.S. commitment to its radical climate policies a “self-inflicted major economic wound” to the United States.
Mr. Trump made an important assertion: that he was “elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.” This pithy statement cut directly to the heart of how American leaders should make policy decisions, putting Americans first.
With this mindset, Mr. Trump reached the correct conclusion: The Paris Agreement is a bad deal for America. Yet immediately upon taking office, President Biden made rejoining the Paris Agreement a top priority as part of his plan to center his administration on climate goals.
Now, with gasoline prices up by 52% and grocery prices up by 21% since January 2021, it is a good time to take stock of these two pivotal presidential decisions — and the direction Americans want for our future.
Under the Paris Agreement, the U.S. cripples its energy and economic development. Instead of using our vast energy resources to drive growth and lift Americans out of poverty, this agreement commits us to economically devastating reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, we send billions of taxpayer dollars abroad to “developing” nations, including China, as they continue to ramp up emissions in exchange for unenforceable promises of decreases far in the future. Even if all promises were met, the agreement would reduce global temperatures by a measly 0.2 degrees by the year 2100.
The Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and commitment to America First pro-energy policies set the U.S. on a course of historic energy production and economic growth while continuing to be a global leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In 2019, the U.S. became a net energy exporter for the first time in nearly 70 years, while our energy-related carbon dioxide emissions had the largest absolute decline of any nation in the world.
Instead of handicapping our businesses and sending money to China, pro-growth policies under the Trump administration removed barriers to allow American businesses to drive prosperity and innovation.
Rejecting this approach, the Biden administration rejoined the Paris Agreement and increased emissions reduction targets. This move is central to its commitment to a government-led march to “net zero” emissions.
Instead of energy source competition on a level playing field, the Biden administration declared war on American hydrocarbon production. At the same time, the administration recommitted to sending taxpayer dollars into foreign treasuries for unenforceable climate promises.
At the most recent U.N. Climate Conference, Vice President Kamala Harris pledged an additional $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund under the Paris Agreement, which treats China as a recipient. The agreement does not require China to start reducing emissions until 2030 and does not include any enforcement mechanisms. Meanwhile, China emits more greenhouse gases than all developed countries combined and has unsurprisingly rebuffed attempts for concessions under the Biden administration’s climate diplomacy.
At home, the Biden administration’s regulatory fervor, driven largely by its climate hysteria, has added a whopping $1.6 trillion in economic costs. Further, its commitment to trillions in green spending has driven painful inflation. Americans are seeing very little bang for their hard-earned buck, with $7.5 billion producing just seven electric vehicle charging stations in two years. Meanwhile, the average American family is paying more than $11,400 more to afford the same standard of living as when Mr. Biden took office and is unlikely to afford an EV, even if they wanted one and had a place to charge it.
Even Paris is stepping back from its climate ambitions as it realizes how deeply unpopular the self-inflicted road to economic ruin is. French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a regulatory pause, and leaders across Europe are taking a hard look at net-zero policies as voters wake up to their negative economic consequences.
As our allies realize the damage of radical climate policies, the Biden administration’s defeatist approach to energy is emboldening our enemies. Nations like Russia and Iran use high oil revenue to fuel their dangerous aggression on the world stage. Nevertheless, the Biden administration holds its climate ambitions as central to its domestic and national security policy. As threats increase, this administration clings tight to the Paris model of incoherent climate ambition, crippling American growth and redistributing our wealth, jobs and power to our adversaries.
Seven years from Mr. Trump’s decision, the question of Pittsburgh or Paris looms large for American leaders. It’s time for the United States to make another pivotal decision and choose the American people and strong American leadership that drives us to security, prosperity and progress. The future of the U.S. and the world begins when our leaders choose to put Pittsburgh — and America — first.