Paris climate agreement: World leaders slam Trump decision
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World leaders on Thursday condemned President Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement.
Although the president said he is willing to work for a better deal, France, Italy and Germany said in a joint statement that the accord can not be re-negotiated.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni urged allies to "speed up" efforts to fight against climate change and said they would do more to help poorer countries.
Paris City Hall was illuminated in green Thursday night following Trump's announcement.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to Twitter to criticize Trump's decision, saying his country is "deeply disappointed."
"We are all custodians of this world, and that is why Canada will continue to work with the U.S. at the state level, and with other U.S. stakeholders, to address climate change and promote clean growth," Trudeau said in a statement.
British Prime Minister Theresa May's office said she "expressed her disappointment" in a phone call with Trump, and "stressed that the U.K. remained committed to the Paris Agreement."
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called the decision "irresponsible."
Prime Minister of Denmark Lars Rasmussen said it was a "sad day for the world."
The European Union's top climate change official echoed Rasmussen's sentiments, calling it "a sad day for the global community."
"The EU deeply regrets the unilateral decision by the Trump administration to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement," European Union Climate Action and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete said in a statement.
Former Mexican president Vincente Fox unleashed a tweetstorm, saying Trump has "surrendered the hopes and future of a nation."
“He’s declaring war on the planet itself,” Fox added.
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel also weighed in: "I condemn this brutal act. ... Leadership means fighting climate change together. Not forsaking commitment."
The 197-member climate agreement requires every country to establish ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gasses. But those targets are largely voluntary, and Trump has already made clear that he views environmental regulations as an obstacle to his goal of creating jobs and ensuring energy independence.
Under the terms of the agreement, the earliest a nation can formally withdraw is November, 2020 — the same month Trump will run for re-election.
Earlier Thursday, Russia said it supported the Paris deal. "President (Vladimir) Putin signed this convention in Paris. Russia attaches great significance to it," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a call with reporters, the Independent reported.
"At the same time, it goes without saying that the effectiveness of this convention is likely to be reduced without its key participants," he said.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang promised to work with the EU to uphold the Paris climate accord, saying there is a "global consensus" and an "international responsibility” to fight climate change, the Associated Press reported.
"China in recent years has stayed true to its commitment,” he said in Berlin, referring to the Paris climate deal. China has been actively promoting the Paris agreement and was one of the first countries to ratify it, he said.
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