Argentina’s far-right government is considering withdrawing from the Paris Agreement after it asked its negotiators to leave the ongoing COP29 climate summit.

• Argentina ratified the Paris Agreement in 2016 and it will need the approval of the parliament to withdraw from the treaty as all international treaties ratified by the country hold constitutional status.

Reason for the Withdrawal

• The Far Right Philosophy: Argentina’s recent stand on the Agreement is due to its climate-skeptic President, Javier Milei who has described climate change as a ‘socialist lie’.
• Climate Change Denial: The President since assuming office has downgraded Argentina’s Environment Ministry to a sub-secretariat, removed a fund for forest protection and passed a law that would further boost the oil and gas sector. 

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

Possible Impact of Argentina’s Withdrawal

• Domino Effect: Argentina’s exit could persuade other countries too to reconsider their own participation.
  • Example:  President-elect Donald Trump is also considering withdrawing the United States from the deal for the second time.
• Undermining Paris Targets: Argentina is world’s 24th-largest emitter of GHGs and comprises significant fossil fuel resources and exports, with the second-largest reserves of shale gas and the fourth-largest reserves of shale oil worldwide.
• Isolation of Argentina: Argentina being a climate denier will become even less attractive as a trading partner as now various countries like the EU, are introducing import duties for climate-damaging products.
• Impact the Poorest: The decision will cost Argentina a considerable sum needed for climate action and ultimately harm the poorest in society as the vulnerable populations are the ones who suffer the most extreme climate phenomena

About Paris Agreement

• Adopted: The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change that was adopted in 2015 to address climate change and its adverse effects and was an outcome of the Conference of Parties 21 or COP 21 of UNFCCC.
  • It superseded the Kyoto Protocol as the principal regulatory instrument governing the global response to climate change.
• Signatories: 194 states and the European Union (EU) have ratified or acceded to the Paris Agreement  representing over 98% of global greenhouse gas emissions as of February 2023.
  • Signed but not Ratified:  Iran, Libya, and Yemen
• Target: It aims to cap the average global temperature increase to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels while simultaneously trying to curb warming to 1.5 degrees.
• Need: The global average temperature has already risen to 1.1°C relative to the 1800s and is projected to surpass the 1.5°C mark within the next decade. 
  • As per estimates, in business as usual case, the world could warm by 4.4°C by 2100.
• Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): The Paris Agreement works on a five-year cycle of ambitious climate action with signatory countries submitting voluntary national climate action plans known as Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) from 2020.
  • In their NDCs, countries communicate actions they will take to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions
• Withdrawal From the Paris Agreement: 
  • Legal Provision: Article 28 of the Paris Agreement lays out the procedure and timeline for a country’s withdrawal from the treaty.
    • A country can withdraw from the treaty at any time after three years from the date on which this Agreement has entered into force ie. 2016 by giving written notification to the Depositary
  • Notification of Withdrawal: A member state should submit the notification of a withdrawal to the Office of Legal Affairs of the UN, based at UN Headquarters in New York.
    • The withdrawal notification only becomes effective after one year, till then the  member state remains in the Paris Agreement and has to fully participate in all activities under it.

Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store

DOWNLOAD PDF