Diplomatist Magazine Diplomatist July 2018 | Page 35

GLOBAL CENTRE STAGE
the fund to fl ight climate change, especially in developing
countries. Secondly, if other countries decide to follow the
American example, it could result in the postponement of
the achievement of the climate change goals in the current
timeframe. Furthermore, the US' withdrawal has created
opportunities for the European Union and China to assume
a more proactive role. As the United States is now absent
from the high table of future negotiations, China is expected
to emerge as the global leader on most issues of global
importance including climate, despite being one of the
largest emitters in the world. China and the United States
were the leaders that set the foundation of the Paris accord.
China has realised that being inside the climate regime has
its advantages. It will not only help the nation tackle its own
environmental problems which have an economic and health
cost, but it will also allow the nation's vast wind and solar
companies to supply the demands of the market, as nations
invest in renewable energy.
(iv) The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)
(Iran Nuclear Deal)
Under the 2015 deal involving fi ve permanent members of
the United Nation’s Security Council and Germany, Iran had
agreed to stop its nuclear programme in exchange for relief
from economic sanctions. President Trump has maintained
that the deal, when signed, had failed to address the threat
that arises from Iran’s development of missiles and that it
did not provide a strong enough mechanism to verify Iran’s
compliance with the provisions of the treaty. The threat
from a potentially nuclear Iran, under the sunset provisions,
was unacceptable. On 8th May 2018, President Trump
withdrew the US from the landmark nuclear agreement, while
abruptly restoring harsh sanctions on Iran. In invoking the
sanctions, the United States is alone. However, the move has
international ramifi cations. It will likely affect international
energy prices. It will also affect international commerce,
as European and Asian companies now risk fi nes or losing
access to American markets if they continue to work with
Iran. Nations are looking at options with regard to taking
the United States to the World Trade Organisation (WTO),
another organisation that President Trump is critical of. The
possibility that exists now is that while the European Union
companies may back out of Iran owing to their deep ties in
America, it could allow China and Russia to gain access
to the Iranian market. This will allow Russia to bolster its
international standing and provide Iran and Russia, two
countries with large energy reserves, the opportunity to work
together. Russia, currently under sanction from the United
States, gets no geopolitical benefi ts by siding with Trump
administration at a time when it is unclear how the American
government will move forward on other foreign policy issues.
Conclusion
For years the United States has been the dominant world
power, and has set the agenda in the international are