Trump’s move to pull US from key UN climate treaty may be illegal, experts say
The Guardian••nation
Key Points:
- The Trump administration announced its intent to withdraw the US from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), marking the first time a country has sought to exit this global climate treaty, but legal experts question whether the president has the unilateral authority to do so.
- Since the US Senate ratified the UNFCCC in 1992, some legal scholars argue that withdrawal requires Senate approval, citing a “mirror principle” that the same level of consent needed to enter a treaty should apply to exiting it; others note that presidents have historically claimed the power to withdraw without congressional consent.
- The UNFCCC requires a one-year written notice for withdrawal, meaning the US will remain a party to the treaty for at least a year after the announcement
