Joe Biden vows to rejoin Paris climate deal if elected

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced his intent to have the U.S. rejoin the Paris climate agreement if he wins the White House. The Trump administration officially dropped out of the accord on Wednesday, becoming the first country to ever withdraw from an international climate change pact.

In response, Biden, who has his own climate change agenda, signaled the exodus would end the day he enters office.

“Today, the Trump Administration officially left the Paris Climate Agreement,” Biden tweeted. “And in exactly 77 days, a Biden Administration will rejoin it.”

Biden laid out his plan to tackle climate change and add new green jobs in the U.S. last year. His administration would re-enter the Paris climate agreement and “use every tool of American foreign policy to push the rest of the world to raise their ambitions alongside with the United States.” He also said the U.S. would pursue strong measures to stop other countries from “cheating” on their climate commitments.

Mr. Trump has championed the fossil fuel industry, questioned the science of climate change and weakened other environmental protections. The move to leave the Paris agreement isolates the United States but has no immediate impact on international efforts to curb global warming.

The 2015 Paris climate accord is a global pact forged to avert the threat of catastrophic climate change. Some 189 countries remain committed to the agreement, which aims to keep the increase in average temperatures worldwide “well below” 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

The Paris accord requires countries to set their own voluntary targets for reducing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. The only binding requirement is that nations accurately report on their efforts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.