Nicaragua Joins Paris Climate Accord, Leaving Just U.S., Syria as Lone Holdouts

Nicaragua will join the Paris climate agreement, making the United States and Syria the only nations not participating in the pact. Nicaragua previously abstained from the 2015 agreement because its leadership believed the pact did not do enough to work to prevent climate change. But on Monday, Nicaragua’s vice president, Rosario Murillo, announced the country was joining the accord. “It is the only instrument we have in the world that allows the unity of intentions and efforts to face up to climate change and natural disasters,” Murillo said of the agreement. The U.S. was previously part of the agreement, until President Donald Trump announced in June that the U.S. would be withdrawing. Withdrawing from the pact is a years-long process that would not take full effect until 2020.