Modern World History Project Notes

CHQ: How can we be involved with world history TODAY?

Objective: Explore and examine key events that took place/are taking place in Modern World History
and take action.

Topic: Trump Leaving Paris Climate Agreement

History of Event: The Paris Agreement is a deal made by the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) dealing with greenhouse emissions to the world. The deal reached to 195
countries to gradually lower climate change which can result in rising sea level, major droughts, global
temperature rising, more dangerous storms. In this agreement, each country determines, plans and reports
contributions to mitigate climate change. The agreement was negotiated in 2015 and took action November
2016. The agreement is not a treaty but only voluntary. There have been 195 UNFCCC representative that
have signed the accord and 148 ratifications. June 1, 2017 President Trump plans to leave the Paris Accord
and be the third country to not agree with the Agreement with Syria and Nicaragua.

Historical Connection/Significance to History: Why is it important ?

The Paris Agreement is important because is saving the Earths atmosphere so we can have place to live. The
world today has a lot of toxic emissions discharged from vehicles, mechanical plants, fossil fuel combustion,
and with new inventions in transportation and energy creation, it can contribute to lessening the Earths
atmosphere. The ozone layer is a dense air film that helps repel ultraviolet rays from the sun, if our Earth does
not have the ozone layer then all living creatures on earth with humans will be burned down by ultraviolet light
from the sun and possibly die. President Trump is supportive of this decision, because as a businessman,
money is enticing. Leaving the Paris Agreement, the oil and gas economy would rise, but the ozone layer
would be deteriorating, and many lives would be affected in result. President Trump planning to leave the Paris
Accord can be related to the non aggression pact signed on August 23, 1939 before WW2. This Pact said that
Germany and Russia were to take no military action to each other for 10 years. Stalin decided to defect from
the pact because Nazi Germany invaded Russia. In a similar way, Trump is planning to defect from the Paris
Accord.

Call to Action: (How to support cause) Examples:

1. Power your home with renewable energy.

2. Invest in energy-efficient appliances.
3. Actually eat the food you buyand make less of it meat.
4. Buy better bulbs.
5. Drive a fuel-efficient vehicle.
6. Shrink your carbon profile.
 "Climate change is a serious global threat and ... the world will need to radically redesign industrial
systems and economies in order to enable a low-carbon growth economy," said sneaker giant Nike.
"Shell recognizes that climate change is a challenge that belongs to all of society not one individual
or one country," the energy company said.
"IBM believes that it is easier to lead outcomes by being at the table, as a participant in the agreement,
rather than from outside it," the technology titan said.

Sources/Citations:
http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/here-s-what-happens-if-trump-leaves-paris-climate-agre
ement-n766761

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Agreement

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2017/jun/01/debbie-wasserman-schultz/are-nicaragu
a-and-syria-only-countries-not-sign-pa/

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/01/big-businesses-disapprove-of-trumps-decision-to-walk-away-from-par
is-accord.html
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-you-can-stop-global-warming