Donald Trump urged to stick to Paris climate deal

Swedish MEP Linnéa Engström has warned that US President Donald Trump is sending all the wrong signals by the continued uncertainty over whether he will pull the US out of the Paris agreement.

Donald Trump | Photo credit: Press Association

By Martin Banks

Martin Banks is a senior reporter at the Parliament Magazine

15 May 2017


Trump says that he will withhold a decision on US participation in the Paris agreement on climate change until after he has met with the other G7 leaders on 27 May in Italy.

The move means the President will head to the summit in Italy at the end of this month amid continued global uncertainty over whether the United States will remain in the emissions-cutting deal struck in Paris under the Obama administration.

Trump pledged during the presidential campaign to renegotiate the accord, but he has wavered on the issue since winning the presidency. His top officials have appeared divided about what to do about the deal, under which the United States committed to significantly reduce planet-warming carbon emissions in the coming decade.


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Opponents of the deal recently lobbied the President with a group of conservative organisations signing a letter saying, "The treaty is not in the interest of the American people and the US should therefore not be a party to it."

Trump has questioned the consensus of climate scientists that man-made carbon emissions are the primary driver of global warming. A senior administration official said the President's inclination has been to leave the pact.

But, on Monday, Engström, a member of the environment committee, told this website the uncertainty about US intentions sent the wrong signals.

The Greens MEP said, "The Paris agreement has a 'Trump clause' which states that the deal stands and can't be renegotiated for four years. Of course, President Trump can obstruct and refuse to come to the next COP meeting.

"One promising aspect when it comes to US policies is that most climate policies actually are decided on a state level, for example energy. That's why Sweden recently signed a climate deal with California, who is leading in phasing out fossil fuels and divestment. 

"Trump can put on a big show on trashing the Paris agreement and this, of course, sends the wrong signals but everyone with an economic mind can see that the future lies in renewables."

Further comment came from Susann Scherbarth, climate justice and energy campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe.

The Brussels-based campaigner said, "Trump will cast America adrift from the global community and the reality of climate change. The fossil fuel industry and climate change deniers have set up shop in the White House, and they're putting the lives and livelihoods of millions of people on the line."

She added, "This is a trigger point for increased action on climate in Europe, to end fossil fuel dependency by 2030."

Meanwhile, the Trans-Atlantic Business Council (TABC) has called for continued US participation in the Paris agreement.

The group says Trump should "understand the possible international implications of a US withdrawal from the agreement."

An open letter to the US President applauds the joint commitments of its 196 signatories to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit the global rise in temperature. 

The letter asserts that continued US participation in the agreement will not only bolster such efforts, but also allow US businesses to remain competitive as new technologies emerge and provide opportunities for new investments and job creation. 

The letter reminds Trump that "businesses are global and need global arrangements and international standards to boost investment, spur job creation, and improve competitiveness worldwide."

Tim Bennett, Director-General/CEO of TABC, states, "The TABC supports the Paris agreement because it provides an international framework based on clear and transparent reporting and market mechanisms to decrease global emissions. 

"In turn, it paves the way for the worldwide deployment of clean technologies, provides increased opportunities for business by opening markets, and enhances international trade. 

"Industry is already actively engaged in tackling the climate challenge through innovation, updating business models, and investing in emerging technologies. 

"The private sector wants to continue to provide new technologies to address this unprecedented challenge while creating jobs and growth. Withdrawing from the Paris agreement risks putting US industry at a disadvantage with its international partners."

 

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