US backsliding will overshadow Bonn climate talks
Friday, May 5, 2017
Significance
The Bonn session will begin under the shadow of uncertain US participation in the Paris Agreement climate framework reached in 2015. Ongoing technical discussions will focus on agreeing further rules to implement the Paris Agreement, but most of these topics are only expected to be finalised in 2018, when an interim ‘facilitative dialogue’ is scheduled to be convened on taking stock of progress and scaling up global climate ambition.
Impacts
- US research funding cuts and restrictions on federal agencies will hinder the collection of climate data.
- Climate ambitions in large developing countries will focus on areas with co-benefits for other policies, especially air pollution.
- The prospect of carbon border tax adjustments in retaliation against decreased US climate ambition is more likely under Trump.
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