(Repetition)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump on Monday ordered the U.S. to withdraw from the Paris climate accord, once again leaving the world’s biggest historic emitter of greenhouse gases outside the global pact that pushes countries to tackle climate change.
Here are some reactions to the announcement of the second US withdrawal from the climate pact:
SIMON STIELL, UN EXECUTIVE SECRETARY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE
“Embracing (the global clean energy boom) will mean huge profits, millions of manufacturing jobs and clean air. If you ignore this, all that enormous wealth will go only to competitive economies, while climate disasters like droughts, wildfires and superstorms continue to worsen, destroying property and businesses, damaging national food production and fueling price inflation across the economy.
“The door remains open for the Paris Agreement, and we welcome constructive engagement from all countries.”
CHINESE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN MAO NING
“China is concerned about the US announcement that it will withdraw from the Paris Agreement. Climate change is a common problem facing all humanity. No country can stay out of it, and no country can be immune to.”
BRAZIL MINISTER OF THE ENVIRONMENT MARINA SILVA
“President Donald Trump, in his inaugural address, began to confirm the most pessimistic predictions about the challenging times ahead. His first announcements go against supporting the energy transition, fighting climate change and valuing renewable energy.
“They are the opposite of policies guided by evidence from science and common sense, dictated by the reality of extreme weather events, including in its own country.”
EU CLIMATE COMMISSIONER WOPKE HOEKSTRA
“It is a truly unfortunate development that the world’s largest economy, and one of our closest allies in the fight against climate change, is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.
“Despite this setback, we remain committed to working with the U.S. and our international partners to tackle the pressing challenge of climate change… The Paris Agreement has strong foundations and is here to stay.”
FORMER FRENCH PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT OF COP 21 LAURENT FABIUS
“This is a serious decision, contrary to scientific evidence, but which should not deter us from continuing the vital international fight against climate change and its dire consequences for humanity.”
ALI MOHAMED, CHAIRMAN OF THE AFRICA GROUP IN UN CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS AND CLIMATE HEALTH OF KENYA
“United States leadership is critical in mobilizing climate finance, advancing clean energy transitions, and ensuring the equitable implementation of global climate goals. Equally important is the need to promote multilateralism as a basis for tackling climate change and other global challenges.”
EVANS NJEWA, CHAIR OF THE GROUP OF LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IN UN CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS
“We deeply regret the US’s plans to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. This threatens to reverse hard-won gains in reducing emissions and puts our vulnerable countries at greater risk. The Paris Agreement remains an essential climate pact and we must protect it for the future of our planet and generation.”
GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK KATHY HOCHUL AND GOVERNOR OF NEW MEXICO MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM, CO-CHAIRMEN OF THE AMERICAN CLIMATE ALLIANCE
“Our states and territories still have broad authority under the U.S. Constitution to protect our progress and advance the climate solutions we need. This will not change with a shift in federal governance… It is critical for the international community to know that climate action will continue in the US. The Alliance will take this message to the UN Climate Change Conference in Brazil (COP30) later this year.”
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION SPOKESPERSON CLARE NULLIS:
“The United States of America is responsible for the lion’s share of global economic losses from weather, climate and water-related hazards. According to US figures, the US has suffered more than 400 weather and climate disasters since 1980, with total costs exceeding $1 billion. … The need for the Paris Agreement is more urgent than ever.”
ANI DASGUPTA, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE
“It simply makes no sense for the United States to voluntarily give up its political influence and miss opportunities to shape the exploding green energy market.”
LAURENCE TUBIANA, CEO OF THE EUROPEAN CLIMATE FOUNDATION AND A KEY ARCHITECT OF THE PARIS AGREEMENT
“Today’s context is very different from that of 2017. There is unstoppable economic momentum behind the global transition, which the US has benefited from and led, but now stands to lose.”
