I remember when the Kyoto Protocol came into force in 2005. A strange, cautious optimism stirred within me. It seemed like world leaders had finally understood that climate change wasn’t some distant problem but a real threat affecting all of our lives. Back then, I thought this was the beginning of a new era. Now, looking back in 2025, I feel like that hope is slipping further away.
The Kyoto Protocol was far from perfect. Not all countries committed to obligations, and the United States—one of the world’s largest polluters—never ratified it. But at least something had begun. Since then, however, the weather has become wilder: wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, and melting ice caps are accelerating at an alarming rate. We see it, we feel it—climate crisis is no longer a future problem, but a present reality. And yet, world leaders still seem to be hesitating.
When the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015, hope flared up again. The United States and China finally agreed to reduce emissions. I thought this might be the turning point. But what happened since then? President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the agreement, Biden rejoined it, and now, in Trump’s second term, the U.S. has permanently withdrawn. And with that, not only American but global climate efforts have been shaken.
Trump’s return to the White House has led to a series of decisions that have deeply set back climate action:
1. The Permanent Exit from the Paris Agreement
The United States has officially abandoned international climate cooperation. This has triggered a domino effect—if one of the world’s biggest polluters refuses to take responsibility, other nations may easily follow suit.
2. The Golden Age of Fossil Fuels
The U.S. government has fully embraced oil, coal, and natural gas once again. New mines are opening, oil drilling is being encouraged with state subsidies, while renewable energy is pushed into the background.
3. The Dismantling of Environmental Regulations
Laws regulating industrial emissions, air pollution, and water quality have been systematically dismantled. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), once responsible for safeguarding the environment, has now been stripped of most of its power.
4. The Renaissance of Climate Change Denial
The American leadership is once again questioning the reality of climate change. Scientists are labeled as “alarmists,” while the world burns and suffocates.
This isn’t just America’s problem. The U.S. stepping back from climate action affects the entire world. If they don’t lead the way, other major polluters like China and India might hesitate too. This could trigger a chain reaction that will be incredibly hard to reverse.
And what about us, ordinary people? What can we do? It feels like many have grown tired of endless debates about climate change. But our future depends on it. Maybe it’s not too late. Maybe there’s still a chance for the world to wake up and realize: there is no second chance.
The only question is: how much longer will we wait?