Top Five Reasons the U.S. Must Cancel the Paris Climate Treaty

Five Reasons Paris Treaty Infographic

Abundant, affordable, and reliable energy is critical to modern-day life powering everything from our stoves to our cars. But more importantly, in many parts of the world, it’s necessary for survival. Not only is the ability to heat or cool a home life-changing—making it easier for children to study or a family to sleep—but it can be the difference between life and death, particularly for young children and the elderly.

But, a lingering piece of President Obama’s war on affordable energy has threatened access to plentiful and reliable energy sources both in the developing world and here at home in the United States. In December 2015, President Obama entered the United States into the United Nations’ Paris Climate Agreement, a treaty that puts U.S. energy policy at the whim of foreign bureaucrats, while forcing Americans to pay more for their gas and electricity. Higher energy costs hurt hardworking American families, destroy jobs, and put our nation at a competitive disadvantage.

President Trump’s energy agenda, however, gave us hope. On the campaign trail, he promised to “cancel the Paris Climate Agreement.” Unfortunately, the Washington Swamp and misguided White House advisors are fighting hard to change President Trump’s mind, and keep America in this harmful treaty.

This week, President Trump heads to the G7 summit in Sicily where he will face further pressure from world leaders to remain in an agreement that is all pain and no gain for Americans. Here are five reasons why it is important that he stick to his promise to get the U.S. out of this bad deal.

1. The Paris Climate Treaty breaks President Trump’s promise to Americans of more affordable energy.

The Paris treaty is designed to raise the prices of coal, oil, and natural gas, which provide 80 percent of U.S. energy. Hardworking American families will be hit the hardest as higher energy bills from heat to electricity will mean household budget cuts elsewhere. Rising energy prices will also put a strain on jobs, especially in the American manufacturing sector which relies on affordable energy.

Staying in the Paris Climate Treaty would also make it impossible for the United States to pursue a pro-growth energy agenda, which means it’s irreconcilable with Trump’s goals of rolling back harmful climate rules, like the EPA’s so-called Clean Power Plan. To achieve even the first of the U.S. commitments in the Paris agreement, would require multiple Clean Power Plan mandates aimed at reducing fossil fuel usage across the board. 

2. The Paris Climate Treaty threatens to inflict energy poverty on developing nations.

The Paris Climate Treaty not only threatens America’s economy, but the economies of developing nations around the world, too. The Paris treaty requires these developing nations to drastically reduce their access to affordable energy from fossil fuels, exacerbating problems in these nations that are already energy-poor. The agreement is unfair, unethical, and undermines efforts to alleviate poverty around the world.

3. The Paris Climate Treaty sets a dangerous and unlawful precedent because it was never ratified by the U.S. Senate.

The Paris Climate Agreement looks like a treaty, walks like a treaty, and talks like a treaty, but it never went through the proper treaty-making process. Worried the Senate wouldn’t sign off, President Obama circumvented the Senate’s advice and consent role for treaties, as required by the U.S. Constitution. Allowing the United States to remain in the Paris treaty without a Senate vote of approval sets a dangerous precedent that future administrations can simply pursue their own political agendas regardless of the will of the American people.

4. The Paris Climate Treaty gives foreign bureaucrats control over U.S. energy policy.

Failure to withdraw from the Paris Climate Treaty locks the United States into a global, political pressure campaign that requires additional reductions in emissions every five years, casting a long shadow on America’s energy producers and job creators. This means that foreign leaders and U.N. bureaucrats will have more and more influence over U.S. energy policy that could be against American interests. Further, these leaders also have a poor record on affordable and accessible energy. For example, Spain’s costly reliance on green energy programs have threatened to bankrupt the country and energy prices have spiked so high in recent years that more than four million people have been unable to properly heat their homes. Germany suffers from similar issues as their electricity rates are almost triple those in the United States, making electricity a “luxury good.” This is not a future that America can afford.

5. The Paris Climate Treaty has no measurable climate or environmental benefits.

Perhaps the most ridiculous part of the Paris Climate Treaty is that it’s all pain for little to no gain for Americans. Despite its shockingly large price tag, the Paris Treaty will not produce measureable climate benefits. Trillions of dollars will be diverted from productive investments that would enhance global welfare to political causes. It’s clear that the treaty’s real aim is to promote a global bureaucracy that supports “green energy” industry schemes and interests, leaving American consumers and taxpayers to foot the bill.

Urge President Trump to cancel this agreement today! Sign the petition: Mr. President, Stop the Paris Climate Treaty

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The above post is based on work by CEI energy and environment policy experts Myron Ebell, Marlo Lewis, and Chris Horner.