Climate Deal: Up to 170 Nations Poised to Sign Landmark Agreement - NBC News
This agreement does have plenty of issues, not the least of which is the fact that the agreement is
not a legally binding treaty. However, we should remember that
non-binding does not mean meaningless. Keep in mind that international agreements are made in good faith. When a country agrees to abide by certain conditions and then re-neg on those conditions, even if they were not legally bound originally, then the likelihood that country will be able to accomplish future goals that also rely on international cooperation decreases significantly. In fact, most international agreements rely on countries’ desire to continue having good relationships with their counterparts.
A key aspect of this deal will depend upon the United States and the next administration. Obama already plans to treat this deal like an executive only treaty such that congressional approval will not be necessary, but it will be possible for the next administration (although made more difficult once Obama approves), to unwind that treaty.
Just another reason to ensure that a Democrat wins the White House.