The National Farmers Union calls the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement this week “Shameful.” The United States formally exited the Paris Climate Agreement Wednesday, three-and-a-half years after President Trump pledged to do so. NFU said 189 countries have ratified the historic agreement so far, which aims to keep “a global temperature rise this century well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.”

That leaves just eight countries – including the United States – as outliers.

A strong advocate for climate action, NFU expressed support for the deal when it was finalized at the end of 2015.

“It’s hard to explain just how disappointing and dangerous the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord is," noted NFU President Rob Larew. "Climate change is a global crisis, and it requires a united, global effort to address. The fact that one of the wealthiest and most powerful countries in the world is shirking its moral obligation to mitigate climate change is a slap in the face for nearly every other country that has agreed to the terms of the agreement.

“This decision not only undermines critical climate action and makes our planet more vulnerable to increasingly frequent and severe weather extremes, but it also comes at great cost to the American people. Many of the actions that would have helped the United States meet its goals under the agreement would have created thousands of new jobs, stimulated economic growth, and revitalized rural communities. As the nation struggles to recover from the pandemic, this is a particularly painful missed opportunity to regain jobs and support family-owned businesses.

“In addition to the economic and environmental consequences, by willfully rejecting science and turning our backs on the rest of the world, the United States is sacrificing its credibility and reputation as a global leader.

“The good news is that it isn’t too late to revoke this shameful mistake. Though there is still a great deal of uncertainty as to who will be leading our country in 2021, whomever it is, we urge them to immediately rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement and recommit our nation to climate leadership.”

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