The Paris Agreement, signed on December 12, 2015, is an international treaty designed to combat climate change. It was signed by nearly 200 countries and aims to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
However, in 2019, the United States, which is responsible for around 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions, announced its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. The withdrawal was officially effective on November 4, 2020, one day after the US presidential election.
The decision to leave the Paris Agreement was controversial and sparked outrage from environmentalists and other countries that are still committed to the Paris Agreement. The move was seen as a major setback in the global fight against climate change.
However, the US re-joined the Paris Agreement on February 19, 2021, under the Biden administration. President Biden has made climate change a top priority and has promised to take bold action to address it. He has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the US to net-zero by 2050 and is working to build a coalition of countries to increase their climate ambition.
So, to answer the question, yes, the US is back in the Paris Agreement. As one of the largest emitters in the world, it is critical that the US remains committed to the Paris Agreement if we are to have any chance of limiting global temperature rise and avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.
In addition to the US, other countries have also announced more ambitious climate targets and are taking steps to implement policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This includes countries like China, the European Union, and Japan.
Overall, while the US withdrawal was a setback, the re-commitment by the Biden administration and the increased ambition of other countries signals that the world is still moving forward with efforts to tackle climate change and meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.