U.S. Notifies U.N. It's Withdrawing From Paris Climate Agreement

The U.S. has officially notified the United Nations of its intent to withdraw from the landmark Paris Climate Agreement.

In an announcement, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed to the "unfair economic burden imposed on American workers, businesses and taxpayers" as reasons for breaking this agreement.

For more than two years, President Trump has talked about pulling the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement and, on Monday, his administration officially began the withdrawal process.

The process takes a year and won't become official until at least the day after the 2020 presidential election.

In the Paris agreement, nearly 200 countries set their own national targets for reducing or controlling pollution of heat-trapping gases.

It was negotiated in 2015 and went into effect on November 4th of 2016.

The Secretary of State said the U.S. will instead now offer a "realistic and pragmatic model" in international climate discussions.