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US Stands Alone on Paris Agreement

This is What’s Trending today…

The United States is now alone in the world in its rejection¹ of the Paris climate agreement.

Syria announced it would sign that agreement Tuesday in Bonn, Germany at the United Nations yearly climate change conference. The treaty calls for individual limits on greenhouse gas releases among participating countries. It is not binding² nor does it provide any enforcement mechanism³.

Barack Obama signed the treaty in his second term as U.S. president.

However, in June, President Donald Trump⁴ withdrew the nation from the agreement. He said the agreement hurts the U.S. economy and American workers.

At that time, Syria and Nicaragua were the only other countries that had not signed.

Nicaragua signed the agreement last month.

Environmental organizations around the world praised Syria’s decision. But comments on social media were directed more at the United States and Donald Trump.

Senator Michael Bennett is a Democrat⁵ from the state of Colorado. He tweeted, “Even Syria will join #ParisAgreement. This doesn't make America great. It makes us the only country denying the reality of #climatechange.”

A user with the name Curious Doubter replied to Bennett, “It’s 30 degrees, windmills are never going to heat our houses, and the seas have been rising and the climate warming since the last Ice Age.

On Facebook, user Brian McNoldy noted⁶ that Syria took action even though it is currently involved in a civil war. He described the U.S. as “left in the dust behind industrial giants, third-world developing countries, and everyone in between.”

Twitter user Achille disagrees however. Achille tweeted, “All of you pseudo intellectuals that haven't read the #ParisAgreement yet are nevertheless outraged⁷ should probably move to a country in it!”

And that’s What’s Trending Today.

I’m Caty Weaver⁸.

Words in This Story

pseudo - adj. not real

mechanism - n. a process used to produce a particular result

windmill - n. a structure that has parts which are turned by the wind to produce power, pump water

1 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

2 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

3 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

4 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

5 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

8 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。