It is unusual that the whole world turns on one country to criticize it. It is without precedent that the country in the dock should be the United States of America. But the plain truth is Trump has put his country first as he promised to. It is also true that he had no option but to do so, having promised on the campaign trail that he would. And if you are out of work in the rust belt or a coal miner you will have transformed from despair to hope. The base of the President’s electoral strength will be thrilled. The 40% who will stick with him through thick and thin. The other 60% and how they vote mid-term and in 2020, will perhaps decide what happens in the end.
Meanwhile a number of states and cities, including California and New York, plus loads of corporations like Apple, Microsoft and General Electric have said they will continue to operate the protocols. America has one of the biggest clean energy industries and the renewable energy sector employs more workers than the coal mines. Much of the climate science is American. America leads in the new clean technologies. There is big money being made in the US by and from these advances. Even if you do not believe the science, trying to reduce the risk is worthwhile. So the impact of the American withdrawal is more political than practical.
The political implications of walking out of something previously signed up to are clear cut. The early meeting between the EU and China today to jointly declare their continuing adherence to the Accord and the very sharp rebuke of the US by Merkel are tastes of things to come. Trump is not liked in Europe and he knows it. America is going down an isolationist road. The slogan America First is unambiguous. But there is a price. America is still the most powerful country on earth and will be shown due respect. But gone are days when it is acknowledged as leader of the free world. There are other voices now.