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Article snippet: Good evening. President Trump announced Thursday that he would pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord. The decision makes good on a campaign promise and aligns with Mr. Trump’s “America first” message. It is also a major setback for the worldwide effort to combat global warming. What does the decision mean? We have extensive coverage here at The New York Times, but it is a complex issue and you may be wondering where to start. In December 2015, nearly every country in the world — 195 in all — agreed to the first global pact aimed at reducing emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases. It was a landmark diplomatic achievement and the pinnacle of President Barack Obama’s environmental agenda. Scientific studies show that if the world’s carbon emissions continue unchecked, atmospheric temperatures will continue to rise. The planet won’t just be hotter, but it will also suffer from rising sea levels, more powerful storms, droughts that lead to food shortages and other extreme conditions. The idea of the Paris climate accord was that every country, rich and poor, would set goals to curb carbon emissions in an effort to avert the worst effects of climate change. • Our climate explainer-in-chief, Brad Plumer, has written a Q. & A. on the Paris accord so you can understand it better. • Our article from when the agreement was reached in 2015 is a good overview of the agreement and what’s at stake. • Need some convincing on global warming? Well, 2016 ... Link to the full article to read more