Legal Note: Could a Future President Reverse US Approval of the Paris Agreement?

Like other treaties, the Paris Agreement includes provisions spelling out the manner in which a party may choose to exercise its right to withdraw. This note summarizes these provisions; relevant provisions of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); related international law; and related provisions and practices under U.S. law. It also looks beyond these legal considerations at the potential diplomatic ramifications should the United States withdraw from the Paris Agreement.