When the Paris Agreement (the Agreement) was reached in 2015, it was the culmination of a four-year negotiation among 197 nation members of the United Nations Framework on Climate Change. The U.S. formally joined the agreement in September of 2016.
While shortly after he took office President Trump pledged to withdraw from the Agreement, a provision by the Obama administration stipulates that the withdrawal can occur no sooner than November 4, 2020—the day after the 2020 election.
To read how the implications of withdrawal may play out, click here.