Boise City Wire

Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire and the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released a statement regarding the Trump Administration's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement is part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Shaheen expressed her disapproval of this move by stating, "The Trump Administration’s decision to once again withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement is an egregious mistake that will impact generations to come." She emphasized that as global efforts continue to address climate change, participation in the agreement offers opportunities for leadership in clean energy and technological innovation that benefit American businesses and families.

She also highlighted concerns about geopolitical implications, noting that "Leaving this agreement creates a void that adversaries, like the Peoples Republic of China, will look to fill and leverage for its own economic advantage."

Senator Shaheen pointed out potential repercussions for international partners: "For our strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific, Oceania, Latin America and Africa who are on the front lines of the climate crisis...the Trump Administration’s abandonment of the Paris Agreement sends the signal that this administration is indifferent to their challenges—as well as the impact on our own country—and that the U.S. cannot be relied on."

In 2015, Shaheen attended the 21st Conference of Parties in Paris where key elements of the agreement were finalized. During her tenure in Congress, she sponsored legislation aimed at ensuring continued U.S. involvement in developing contributions to combat climate change under this framework.