According to the United Nations, The Paris Agreement is an international treaty signed by nearly 200 countries with the goal to limit climate change. The significance of this agreement can be seen in the fact that nearly every single major country in the world participated (unfccc.int). This treaty signing was the first time in history that so many nations had collectively agreed to take action against climate change, establishing its global urgency. As of January 21, 2025, however, the United States has officially backed out of the Paris Agreement, highlighting the United States’ blatant disregard for an exceedingly critical issue. 

   Vice President of the Surf Rider Club Junior Haley Ross said, “It’s not a smart move for the U.S. Government to pull us out [of the Paris Agreement] because it was a contract that we agreed to in order to meet these goals related to combating climate change with other nations around the world. And we were essentially at the forefront of the movement…. Now that we’ve backed out, there are no longer any regulations or anyone to hold us accountable for these actions that are damaging our climate.” By backing out of the Paris Agreement, the United States has lost its credibility as a global leader in combating climate change. Every nation has a responsibility to preserve the land that their nation stands on, and the United States has actively neglected that obligation.

   According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “[The U.S.] was still, as of 2021, releasing about five billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, which was about 13.49 percent of the total global emissions — more than twice that of all 28 countries in the European Union combined” (climate.gov). The United States is one of the world’s largest polluters, and sets an example as one of, if not the most influential nations in the world. The U.S. pulling out of the agreement means that other countries may follow suit, causing a ripple effect of nations disregarding the importance of climate change. As a confederation, the United Nations isn’t powerful enough to inflict any consequences on the U.S. for backing out of their agreement, so it’s unlikely that the U.S. will face any immediate repercussions. All the while, the sea level continues to rise and the roughly 10,000 species of organisms are affected (icun.org)

   Even while disregarding the ecological impacts of climate change, there are a multitude of negative economic impacts as well. According to an economic research study on climate change, the rate of climate change-related natural disasters are increasing at an alarming rate, faster than what scientists originally predicted (worldwildlife.org). With this increased rate of natural disasters, there will need to be even more resources allocated to disaster relief and infrastructure. With every flood, fire, and hurricane, disaster relief will need to spend more and more on rebuilding, while still being unable to tackle the issue at hand, which is climate change as a whole.

  Additionally, neglecting climate change will severely damage agricultural prospects on a worldwide scale. According to an organization focused on fighting climate change, “Changing weather patterns can impact sources of fresh water and food. While drought creates water scarcity, floods can contaminate drinking water supplies. Unpredictable weather patterns can also wreak havoc on agriculture and food supplies, particularly in regions of the world that are less climate-resilient and where staple food crops are critical for survival” (nrdc.org). The decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement is a shortsighted effort to benefit the U.S. economy, but ultimately damages it as a whole, requiring more money to be spent on disaster relief and infrastructure, as well as basic agricultural goods.

   Given the U.S. Government’s failure to address climate change at a policy level, the efforts of the public become increasingly important at fighting environmental damage. However, Ross notes her experience with a lack of motivation among students. “[Students lack] the desire to actually go out into the world as an individual and make a change. Especially with the youth in middle and high school. They feel like they do not have a voice. They feel like they have no power to make a notable change.” This could not be further from the truth.  Grassroots organizations such as Surfrider are an example of how anybody can come out and help. Ross said, “The Surfrider Foundation [has the goal of improving] water quality, accessibility, ocean preservation and restoration, specifically for microplastic research, and they are pushing for regulations and laws around types of plastic usage.” By supporting the Surfrider Club, students can make a difference in their environment with a relatively minimal commitment.

   The U.S. backing out of the Paris Agreement is more than discouraging. It will cause irreversible damage to the environment, and only further harm the U.S. economy. However, the situation is not hopeless. If grassroots organizations such as Surfrider continue to contribute to conservation efforts, then the impact of this brash decision may be softened in the long run.