The U.S. President Donald Trump announced yesterday that the United States will withdraw from the Paris Agreement - which intends to mitigate climate change for a sustainable world. Signed in late 2015 in Paris by 175 countries (except Syria and Nicaragua) on its first day, the fundamental purpose of the landmark agreement is combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future.

The Paris Agreement aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

While constructing many efforts for this landmark agreement on climate change, the White House announced that the U.S. will withdraw from this landmark agreement since it costs "the U.S. economy nearly $3 trillion in reduced output, over 6 million industrial jobs, and over 3 million manufacturing jobs."

President Trump always declared that he would withdraw from the Paris Climate accord during his campaigns and he formally started negotiations to  cancel the membership of the U.S. from the landmark agreement or Trump "will negotiate an entirely new agreement with more favorable terms for the United States," detailed by the White House.

"As President, I can put no other consideration before the wellbeing of American citizens.  The Paris Climate accord is simply the latest example of Washington entering into an agreement that disadvantages the United States to the exclusive benefit of other countries, leaving American workers - who I love - and taxpayers to absorb the cost in terms of lost jobs, lower wages, shuttered factories, and vastly diminished economic production," said Donald Trump at Rose Garden.

"Thus, as of today, the United States will cease all implementation of the non-binding Paris Accord and the draconian financial and economic burdens the agreement imposes on our country.  This includes ending the implementation of the nationally determined contribution and, very importantly, the Green Climate Fund which is costing the United States a vast fortune," Trump added.

Video by The White House

Regarding Donald Trump's decision on Paris Agreement, the President of the American Institute of Architects Thomas Vonier has issued a statement by "reaffirming its commitment to climate change mitigation". 

"The United States must remain a leader in the battle to cease harmful and needless practices that damage the planet and its climate, acting out of both environmental concerns and national economic interests. Instead of helping our economy, as the Administration contends, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement will put us behind our major global competitors," stated Thomas Vonier.

Read the full statement of the President Thomas Vonier below:

"The United States must remain a leader in the battle to cease harmful and needless practices that damage the planet and its climate, acting out of both environmental concerns and national economic interests. Instead of helping our economy, as the Administration contends, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement will put us behind our major global competitors."

The AIA will not retreat from its long-established efforts to conserve energy and to deploy renewable resources in buildings. We will continue to lead in efforts to curb the use of fuels and technologies that needlessly pollute our atmosphere and harm our environment. This makes good sense economically, and it is in the best interests of those we serve: our clients and the public.

We will also urge our members throughout the United States and the world to assist cities, states, organizations and citizen groups in meeting the aims of the climate accord.

By adhering to our values as a profession that is concerned with human habitat and the health of our environment, we will help to mitigate the harm this decision will do to our economy and to America's stature across the globe."

Upon the AIA's statement, the International Union of Architects (UIA) has declared its support to the AIA's statement for Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. Signed by the President of the UIA Esa Mohamed and Thomas Vonier, the statement highlights a clear mission this agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions all over the world. 

"We will not accept a future in which rising sea levels destroy more communities; where devastating natural disasters become the norm; where future generations face greater risk of drought; and where disease and poverty are exacerbated by the extreme impacts of a changing climate," emphasised by the UIA. 

"The landmark Paris Agreement maps the way to a sustainable future," iterated in the statement.

The Eiffel Tower during COP21. Image © François Mori

Read the full statement of the UIA signed by the President Thomas Vonier and Esa Mohamed below:

Esa Mohamed, President of the UIA, the only global organisation representing architects, supports the AIA declaration on Landmark Paris Agreement:

"The undersigned professional organizations, representing the world’s architects, express their full and continuing commitment to designing a sustainable world and to achieving goals of the landmark Paris Agreement on climate.

Urban areas account for more than 70 percent of global energy consumption and CO2 emissions, mainly from buildings. Architects embrace the responsibility to design buildings and communities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions; foster healthier environments; protect and enhance natural resources; provide clean air and water; protect people from the impacts of climate change; and create sustainable, equitable and healthy communities for everyone.

Following through on our collective commitments to reducing greenhouse gases will help to alleviate the clear perils faced by our planet and its inhabitants. We will not accept a future in which rising sea levels destroy more communities; where devastating natural disasters become the norm; where future generations face greater risk of drought; and where disease and poverty are exacerbated by the extreme impacts of a changing climate.

The landmark Paris Agreement maps the way to a sustainable future. We are doing our part and will carry on. That is the underpinning of the 2050 Imperative, adopted by the International Union of Architects at its World Congress in Durban, South Africa. This 2014 accord commits the world architecture community to implementing carbon efficient design strategies and renewable systems.

The architecture community adopted the 2050 Imperative as a clear message of support for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to show that architects are committed to a sustainable and equitable future. Today, that commitment is stronger than ever.

In large metropolises and small towns around the world, architects are working with their clients to design buildings and communities that use appropriate resources, protect the public from harm, and improve the quality of life. We reaffirm our commitment to designing a better world for all."

Thomas Vonier, AIA President
The American Institute of Architects

Esa Mohamed, UIA President
The International Union of Architects 

Stilt Houses in Ganvie, Benin. Image © Iwan Baan 

What will happen now after Trump's declaration about his withdrawal from the Paris Climate accord? In order to withdraw from the climate agreement, it will be enough to write a short letter to the United Nations on behalf of the U.S. as Barack Obama sent a short letter to the UN to the acceptance of the U.S. on August 29, 2016.

However, according to the rules of the agreement, this process will not be able to proceed fast because Trump can send the letter after 3 years from the acceptance of the agreement - and this date comes up to April 4, 2019. Also, if the U.S. send the letter after this date, the U.S. will have to wait another year before it leaves the deal. But, this date also coincides November 4, 2020, one day after the next presidential election. 

In this case, Trump will see his promise is realised when he had for the second time in the presidential seat, or after the seat has been emptied.

Top image courtesy of Huffington Post

> via The White House