Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate deal is bad for US business. Here's why.

The author contends that the Trump administration's decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement creates regulatory uncertainty and threatens US economic competitiveness. Despite federal inaction, over 130 major US companies have set science-based emission targets, and the 'We Are Still In' coalition—representing $9 trillion of the US economy—continues to support the agreement. The text highlights a $26 trillion growth opportunity and 65 million new jobs by 2030 associated with a low-carbon transition, while noting that unchecked climate change could cost the US hundreds of billions of dollars annually by 2100.

• The US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement is framed as a threat to the nation's economic competitiveness, as it leads to regulatory fragmentation and uncertainty while other nations continue to innovate and invest in the zero-carbon transition.
• Significant private and public sector opposition to the withdrawal is evidenced by the 'We Are Still In' declaration, which includes over 3,800 signatories from the private sector, universities, faith groups, and local, tribal, and state governments, representing more than half of Americans and $9 trillion of the US economy.
• More than 130 US companies, including major brands like Walmart, Nike, and McDonald's, have committed to science-based emission reduction targets aligned with the Paris Agreement, with some specifically targeting a limit of 1.5°C of global warming.
• Economic data suggests a stark contrast between the benefits of a low-carbon transition—potentially $26 trillion in growth and 65 million jobs by 2030—and the costs of inaction, which the National Climate Assessment estimates could reach hundreds of billions of dollars annually by the end of the century.
• Over 75 US businesses have lobbied federal lawmakers for meaningful climate legislation, specifically requesting a price on carbon and policies to achieve full decarbonization of the economy by 2050.

APA

Austin, J. (2019). Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate deal is bad for US business. Here's why. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/trump-paris-climate-change-us-business/

Chicago

Austin, Jennifer. Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate deal is bad for US business. Here's why. World Economic Forum, 2019. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/trump-paris-climate-change-us-business/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Austin |first1=Jennifer |title=Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate deal is bad for US business. Here's why. |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=18 November 2019 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/trump-paris-climate-change-us-business/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{austin2019trumps, author = {Austin, Jennifer}, title = {{Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate deal is bad for US business. Here's why.}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2019}, month = nov, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/trump-paris-climate-change-us-business/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }