US exit from Paris Agreement sparks climate concerns

Dar es Salaam. As the United States moves to withdraw from the Paris Agreement under President Donald Trump’s administration, climate experts warn of severe consequences, with Tanzania also feeling the impact of global warming.

The US, one of the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters, risks undermining global efforts to curb emissions. Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) Acting Director General, Ladislaus Chang’a, has expressed concern over the decision, citing a recent report from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), which declared 2024 as the hottest year on record.

“The global temperature increase for 2024 reached 1.55 degrees Celsius, surpassing previous records and causing widespread environmental and socio-economic impacts,” said Mr Chang’a, who also serves as vice-chair at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

He warned that the rise in temperature had exceeded previous projections, with the 2018 IPCC Special Report on Global Warming initially estimating that such levels would be reached between 2030 and 2050.

“This is happening sooner than expected, and it highlights the urgent need for global action,” he added.

Mr Chang’a stressed that tackling climate change requires concerted international efforts, cautioning that any withdrawal from the Paris Agreement would hinder progress.

“Tanzania has also experienced a significant temperature rise in 2024, averaging 0.7 degrees Celsius. This trend threatens agriculture and natural resources, which are crucial to the country’s economy,” he noted.

The Journalists’ Environmental Association of Tanzania (JET) Executive Director, Mr John Chikomo, highlighted the potential financial impact of the US withdrawal.

He noted that the US has been instrumental in funding environmental projects in Tanzania and other African nations.

“The decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement means reduced funding for climate initiatives. Communities in Tanzania that have benefited from US support may no longer have access to these resources,” he said.

Mr Chikomo pointed out that institutions such as the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have played a crucial role in supporting environmental and climate change interventions in Tanzania. With the US pulling back, such efforts could dwindle, affecting local climate resilience projects.

As climate change accelerates, experts emphasize the importance of sustained global cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the devastating impacts of global warming.

On Monday, Donald Trump moved to withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement for a second time.

On his first day back as president, Trump signed an executive order on stage in front of supporters at an arena in Washington DC which he said was aimed at quitting what he called the “unfair one-sided Paris climate accord rip off.” He also signed a letter to the United Nations giving it notice that the US was exiting, which starts the formal process of withdrawal from the world’s main effort to mitigate the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

It will take about a year for the withdrawal to be formalized.

When enacted, the US will join Iran, Libya and Yemen as the only countries outside the global agreement, which Joe Biden had rejoined in 2021 after Trump confirmed he would exit in his first term in 2017.