Barack Obama leads chorus of condemnation as Donald Trump pulls the US out of the Paris climate change agreement

Obama
Barack Obama, who signed the Paris accord in 2016, has strongly criticised his successor's decision to withdraw from the deal Credit: AP

Barack Obama has led the chorus of condemnation against President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris agreement, saying the Trump administration is joining "a small handful of nations that reject the future" by withdrawing from the climate change pact.

Mr Obama said repeatedly that the agreement of the deal was one of his proudest achievements as president.

"One of the reasons I ran for this office was to make sure that America does its part to protect this planet for future generations," he said in September 2016, at a ceremony to sign the document.

"Over the past seven and a half years, we’ve transformed the United States into a global leader in the fight against climate change."

And after Mr Trump announced the US withdrawal, Mr Obama said that the decision would harm the US.

The countries that stay, he said, will "reap the benefits in "jobs and industries created." He says the US should be "at the front of the pack," noting that the majority of American CEOs and industry leaders support the Paris deal.

The former president said in a statement that Mr Trump's decision reflects "the absence of American leadership."

Another former president, Bill Clinton, also condemned the decision.

Europe

Theresa May spoke to Mr Trump after the announcement was made, Downing Street said, and Mrs May "expressed her disappointment at the decision".

She stressed that the UK "remains committed to the Paris agreement". 

Emmanuel Macron, the newly-elected French president, who has managed to clash repeatedly with Mr Trump in the mere two weeks he has been in power, tweeted his dismay - mockingly the president's own slogan.

He also suggested that anyone dismayed by the decision - scientists, engineers, "responsible citizens" - move to France and work for solutions.

Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, urged the White House to reconsider its decision.

She said climate change "poses a unique threat to the future of our planet, and puts in peril the health, prosperity, security and the very survival of our children and grandchildren."

The EU's climate action commissioner, Miguel Arias Canete, said in a statement that the bloc "deeply regrets the unilateral decision by the Trump administration."

But he promised that the agreement will endure, and pledged that "the world can continue to count on Europe for global leadership."

Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the European Union's executive Commission, said Mr Trump's decision was "seriously wrong," while Angela Merkel expressed "regret" at the decision, and called for a continuation of "climate policies which preserve our world."

Ahead of the announcement, Boris Johnson said Britain would continue to press the US to reduce dangerous emissions, even if Mr Trump pulled out.

But he said that Britain still wants the US to take the lead in fighting climate change, and called on individual US states to keep making progress.

"We will continue to lobby the Americans and the White House to show the leadership they have shown in the past on reducing CO2," he said.

And the leaders of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden wrote a joint letter to Mr Trump, urging him to "make the right decision".

China

Hua Chunying, China's foreign ministry spokesman, said that China remained committed to the deal.

"Climate change is a global challenge. No county can place itself outside of this,” she said.

She said that China would "follow its green, sustainable development concept, strengthening measures to deal with climate change" and would "conscientiously follow the Paris agreement".

"At the same time, we will continue to resolutely be a protector and promoter of the global climate system process, proactively participating in the multilateral climate change process," she said.

"We are willing to work with all sides to jointly protect the Paris agreement process, promote the actual rules and regulations  of the agreement in follow-up talks and effectively enact them, and promote global green, low carbon, sustainable development."

Shortly before the announcement, the Chinese prime minister, Li Keqiang, said that fighting climate change is a "global consensus" and an "international responsibility," and that China has fulfilled its commitments.

India, the third-largest producer of emissions after China and the US, also urged Mr Trump to respect the deal, with Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, saying on Wednesday that it would be a "crime" to spoil the environment for future generations.

Russia

Vladimir Putin's spokesman said that Russia remains committed to the deal - although it has not ratified it.

Dmitry Peskov said that Russia "thinks highly" of the accords and there is no alternative to it. But he added that its implementation will not be as effective "without the key signatories."

Canada 

Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, said his government was "deeply disappointed" by the decision.

Catherine McKenna, Canada's environment minister, said her country would not be distracted by the US decision.

"Canada's just going to keep marching on, like the rest of the world," she said.

"We certainly will be at the table, playing a leadership  role - because we think it's the right thing to do and it makes economic sense."

Trump's supporters defiant

But Mr Trump's loyalists sprung to his defence.

"President Trump acted in America’s best interest, moving away from a flawed agreement that placed too heavy a burden on American jobs, and opening the door to a new agreement that reaches the right balance," said Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN.

 "America will remain a leader in environmental protection.  But we will not jeopardise our economy in order to please other counties that don’t come anywhere near our environmental standards."

 

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