While world leaders urge US President Donald Trump to stick with an international deal on climate action, an expert in the field says America might do more damage by staying in.
Mr Trump has said he wants to pull America out of the landmark Paris agreement on climate change, signed in late 2015 by nearly 200 countries and ratified around the time of his election.
ANU climate policy expert Luke Kemp says that might actually be the best thing for the world.
He believes having a rogue US that doesn't cut emissions and won't finance global green banks stay in the agreement would cause more damage than if it left.
Its continued membership would be symbolic only.
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"The US will likely miss its target and cut climate financing regardless of Paris," Dr Kemp says in a commentary published in the journal Nature Climate Change on Tuesday.
It could also use its loud voice and veto power to water down the rules and details of how the agreement will work into the future, which are currently under negotiation.
"Giving the former head of ExxonMobil a seat at the table is a terrible idea," Dr Kemp said, referring to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
Nor does he think a US departure would trigger a domino effect of other countries leaving.
Rather, if it stays in the agreement's framework but misses its emission reduction targets, that could give other countries the excuse they need to renege on or withdraw their own commitments.
"The international community should be more concerned about the actions of the US, rather than whether they are symbolically co-operating," he said.
"A withdrawal could trigger new opportunities to emerge, such as carbon border adjustments and forceful leadership from the EU and China."
