American Chemical Society condemns US pullout of Paris Accords

The American Chemical Society has joined hundreds of US businesses and institutions in criticising President Trump’s decision to remove America from the Paris Climate Accords.

The Paris agreement was agreed in 2016 by the US and 187 other countries to keep global climatic temperatures ‘well below’ a 2C (36.6F) rise above pre-industrial levels and ‘endeavour to limit’ increases more, to 1.5C.

If it withdraws from the Accords, the United States will join only Syria and Nicaragua as non-signatories to the agreement. Syria is wracked by civil war and Nicaragua said the agreement is not tough enough on rich countries.

The American Chemical Society has called on the US administration to reconsider its decision. The agreement, signed by 197 countries in 2015 and ratified by 147, is needed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Thomas Connelly, ACS Executive Director, said: “Climate change represents a real and current threat to our economy, health and welfare… America should continue to take the lead in addressing global greenhouse gas emissions and become a leader in sustainable energy production and technology."

Announcing his intention to withdraw from the accords, Trump told a crowd outside the White House: “The fact that the Paris deal hamstrings the United States while empowering some of the world’s top polluting countries should expel any doubt as to why foreign lobbyists should wish to keep our beautiful country tied up and bound down … That’s not going to happen while I’m president.”

The American Chemical Society is the world's largest scientific society, which is a leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. It maintains a Climate Science Toolkit for its members and the public with information to help individuals understand and communicate the science behind climate change.