Cruz: I would pull United States out of Paris climate deal

Challenges that no country can afford to ignore, that will undoubtedly impact on us all in one way or another – as we live in an ever globalised world and economy.

The United Nations headquarters in NY.

Countries like Canada have made serious commitments to invest in clean technologies and green infrastructure to support and implement policies that move their economy towards a low carbon future. Funding for vulnerable and developing nations, plans to ratchet up ambition at regular intervals, and recognition of the role of indigenous knowledge will play major roles in future action.

The Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, which I chair, has found that essentially all the emissions cuts we need to stop severe climate change can be met through actions that boost the economy.

When discussing strategies to address climate change, it has become nearly a matter of habit to include the caveat “given the unlikelihood of a global agreement to reduce emissions…” before proceeding with the discussion.

According to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Outlook 2015, electricity demand will jump 70% by 2040, and while the IEA predicts that by then renewable energy will overtake coal as the world’s largest generator of electricity, it will still account for only 30% of electricity generation in China, now the world’s biggest carbon dioxide emitter.

After decades of contentious and often acrimonious negotiations, the nations of the world have come together with an agreement that places our civilization on a path toward avoiding the worst effects of climate change. The solutions are increasingly affordable and available, and many more are poised to come, especially after the success of Paris.

Every country is obliged to report its emissions, and on progress made in cutting them, at five-yearly intervals, but there needs to be adequate follow-up and policing of it, as it relies heavily on the goodwill of all participants – the carrot rather than the stick approach. It contains ambitious targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to try to limit the global temperature increase to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius, and hopefully nearer 1.5C, above pre-industrial levels. In the words of UN Secretary-General, “all in all, the Paris agreement delivered on all the key points called for by the Secretary-General”.

Currently, these national targets have already significantly bent the emissions curve downwards. President Barack Obama lauded the accord as offering “the best change to save the one planet we have”.

Responding to calls from citizens countrywide, our delegation returned to a more co-operative approach, advocating for inclusion of human rights and indigenous knowledge, along with recognition of the critical importance of the 1.5 C goal.

Canada’s delegation had the added goal of rebuilding the country’s reputation as an environmental leader. “As climate impacts worsen around the world, we need seize on the current momentum and usher in a new era of cooperative action from all countries and all levels of society”. The Paris Agreement was possible because of this shift, and it will continue to reinforce those shifting norms in positive ways.

The Paris Agreement marks the first genuinely global commitment to emissions reduction in more than 20 years.