The Paris climate accord architects express dismay and defiance after Trump's election victory.

• The election of Donald Trump on Wednesday caused a palpable sense of dismay among the climate community.
• The 78-year-old, who has labeled the climate crisis a "great scam," has vowed to increase fossil fuel production, weaken President Biden's emissions-reducing regulations, and withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement once more.
• The Paris Agreement, despite being a setback due to Trump's election victory, has proven resilient and is stronger than any single country's policies, according to Laurence Tubiana, a key architect of the agreement.

The election of Donald Trump on Wednesday caused a palpable sense of dismay among the climate community, with two key architects of the Paris Agreement warning that the result will stall global efforts to protect the environment.

According to an NBC News projection, Kamala Harris will be defeated by Trump and he will return to the White House for a second four-year term.

One of the most divisive figures in contemporary American politics has made a remarkable return.

The 78-year-old, who has labeled the climate crisis a "great scam," has vowed to increase fossil fuel production, weaken President Biden's emissions-reducing regulations, and withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement — once more.

The 2015 Paris Agreement is a vital framework aimed at decreasing greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The Paris Agreement, despite being a setback due to Trump's election victory, has proven resilient and is stronger than any single country's policies, according to Laurence Tubiana, a key architect of the agreement.

Tubiana, a French economist and diplomat who is currently the CEO of the European Climate Foundation, stated that the current context is "completely different" from Trump's first election victory in 2016.

The US has led the global transition, gaining economic momentum, but risks losing it due to worsening climate change, as seen in the devastating toll of recent hurricanes, according to Tubiana.

Cities and states across the US are boldly responding to the demands of their citizens, she stated.

"Europe has the chance to take charge and demonstrate that bold climate action benefits individuals, boosts economies, and fortifies resilience."

'An antidote to doom and despair'

The 2016 US election result will be viewed as a significant setback to global climate action, according to Christiana Figueres, the former UN climate chief who led the 2015 Paris summit.

Figueres stated that the changes necessary to decarbonize the economy and achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement cannot and will not be halted.

"Fossil fuels are becoming obsolete in a fast-paced world, and clean energy technologies will eventually surpass them," she predicted.

The work to regenerate our planet and societies will continue with a more determined spirit, as Figueres stated.

"The Earthshot Prize, being held in South Africa, demonstrates that there is a solution to hopelessness and despair. It involves taking immediate action on the ground and seeing it happen in every part of the world."