Syllabus: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests
Background
- The Trump administration issued a memorandumhttps://striveedgeias.in/category/prelims-pinpointer/ withdrawing the U.S. from UNFCCC and 65 organisations. These bodies were labelled as “contrary to U.S. interests” by the administration.
- The move follows the earlier withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement during Trump’s first term.
- The U.S. plans to end commitments on climate change, renewable energy, gender equality, and minority rights.
Impact on Global Institutions
- U.S. withdrawal weakens UN agencies working on health, climate, and governance.
- Earlier exit from the WHO disrupted maternal health, disease surveillance, and infectious disease control.
- Programmes on tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS suffered due to reduced external funding.
Geopolitical Consequences
- U.S. retreat creates a leadership and financing vacuum in global governance.
- This space may be filled by China and Russia, whose priorities may differ from democratic norms.
- Reduced U.S. engagement weakens coordinated international policy frameworks.
Economic and Strategic Effects
- Washington earlier used trade tariffs as tools for political coercion.
- Such policies caused destabilising global economic consequences.
- Narrow national self-interest now risks overriding global governance principles.
Societal and Ideological Risks
- Inward-looking policies strengthen ethno-nationalism and racist hostility towards the “other”.
- History shows such trends unleash destructive social and political forces.
- The nation-state system may face new challenges under growing isolationism.
Overall Significance
- U.S. isolationism undermines multilateral cooperation and global problem-solving mechanisms.
- It threatens the stability of the international liberal order in the 21st century.
