The article I read this week laid out the commitments put forth by many of the world’s leaders in the Paris Climate Accord that was signed in New York last week. The major parties include the US, the EU, China, India, Brazil, and Indonesia. All of these global powers promise a reduction in carbon emissions ranging from 20-40% below some value no earlier than 1990. China, America, and the EU plan to accomplish this primarily by shifting away from coal to renewable energy sources, like India who plans to increase its solar energy generation by more than a factor of 30, while countries such as Brazil and Indonesia plan to stem the mass deforestation that occurs in those countries. Russia, unsurprisingly, has made no formal commitment to combat climate change. India was also one of the only countries to commit to a significant reforestation program. One thing I found both interesting and embarrassing was that no public official in China vocally denies climate change, while here in the US, two of the leading presidential candidates as well as numerous members of congress and the Supreme Court openly reject the science of climate change. Additionally, it is embarrassing that Obama’s major initiative to begin mitigating global warming has been stalled by complaints filed in the Supreme Court that cannot be ruled upon until a new Justice is appointed. Brazil and the EU also face potential political challenges that may cause them to fall short of their commitments.

Though many scientists criticize the pledges made as not being aggressive enough in combating global warming, it is a critical step in the right direction that I trust will be built upon and upgraded in the coming decades. The cooperation shown by the world’s leaders is truly inspiring as someone who is very concerned about our climate, and I look forward to what we will be able to accomplish in the future.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/04/21/science/paris-agreement-carbon-dioxide-global-warming.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fearth&action=click&contentCollection=earth&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0