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Global dismay at Donald Trump’s withdrawal of USA from Paris climate agreement

Donald Trump, climate change: World reacts to US withdrawal from Paris agreement, GLOBAL reaction to Donald Trump’s “arrogant” decision has been brutal. World leaders aren’t happy. http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/climate-change/donald-trump-climate-change-world-reacts-to-us-withdrawal-from-paris-agreement/news-story/ad0c58f7428575a7999c2c6c3913da29  2 June 17 Debra Killalea@DebKillalea  CRITICS have blasted Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement to curb climate change as reckless, immoral and a massive middle finger to the world.

While it fulfils Mr Trump’s election promise to pull out of the pact — which he has labelled a job killer — the announcement has caused widespread shock and outrage.

European leaders have condemned the decision and even big business is angry.

Former president Obama called the decision a “rejection of the future”, while former US vice president and ardent climate change campaigner Al Gore blasted Mr Trump’s move as “indefensible”.

CNN climate change and social justice columnist John D Sutter described the decision to pull out on the Paris Agreement as “a middle finger to the future” and “catastrophic both for this country and the planet.”

“The worst part: There is absolutely no reason for it. Aside, perhaps, from bravado and arrogance,” he writes. Sutter said, in walking away from the agreement, Mr Trump was turning his back on the entire world and on the consensus of climate science.

“This isn’t some meaningless list plucked from an Al Gore PowerPoint,” he writes. “Our fingerprints are on many of these disasters now.”

The fallout has already begun, with billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk announcing he will quit his role on the White House business advisory council as a result, a move he has been threatening for days.

In a feisty speech delivered early this morning, Mr Trump said the Paris Agreement made the US a laughing stock, and it was time to put the country first.

“As of today, the United States will cease all implementation of the non-binding Paris Accord and the draconian financial and economic burdens the agreement imposes on our country,” he said.

“So we’re getting out but we’ll start to negotiate and we will see if we can make a deal that’s fair. And if we can, that’s great. And if we can’t, that’s fine.”

However, that suggestion was swiftly slapped down in Europe. In a strongly worded joint statement, the leaders of Italy, France and Germany said the deal could not be renegotiated.

“We deem the momentum generated in Paris in December 2015 irreversible and we firmly believe that the Paris Agreement cannot be renegotiated since it is a vital instrument for our planet, societies and economies.”

In a short but effective message, French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted a video of his thoughts summing up how it we all share the responsibility for climate change.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also expressed his disappointment with the decision.

UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said pulling out of the deal was not the answer.

Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni tweeted his country remained committed to reducing emissions, renewable energy and sustainable development.

Closer to home, former NSW Premier Bob Carr was even more scathing of Mr Trump’s decision.

Mr Trump said the accord was “about other countries gaining an advantage over the United States” and that he was “elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.”

But even the Mayor of Pittsburgh, Bill Peduto, disagrees with him.

He also pointed out that Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton received 80 per cent of the vote in Pittsburgh during last year’s election.

Andrew Steer, president of the World Resources Institute said the decision was a tragedy.

“This decision shows a stunning disregard for the wellbeing of people and the planet,” he said in a statement.

“President Trump will now have to answer for walking away from one of the most hard-fought and popular global achievements in recent memory.”

The decision comes as a March Gallup poll found that 70 per cent of Americans believe climate change is happening.

ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips join fellow corporate giants Apple, Dow Chemical, Adobe, Intel, Hewlett Packard who are among those urging Trump to honour his predecessor’s climate commitments, Foreign Policy reported.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific condemned Mr Trump’s decision calling it reprehensible and destructive.

Greenpeace Climate and Energy Campaigner, Nikola Casule, said the President had betrayed the trust of nearly 200 nations.

“Real global leaders are taking urgent action on climate change,” he said.

“Other major parties to the historic Paris Agreement — including China, the EU and India — have signalled they remain firmly committed to the deal. At the very least, we expect that the rest of the nearly 200 nations will be stepping up and holding the US government to account.

“Australia must stand with them. Because global climate action is not a legal or political debate, it is a moral obligation to protect our planet and people.”

Describing the clean energy revolution as unstoppable Mr Casule said Mr Trump’s isolationist stance at this critical moment in history is morally reprehensible and attempts to derail global progress on climate change will fail.

The decision was also slammed by human rights groups who warned the world’s poorest people will suffer the worst consequences of this decision.

Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International USA said Mr Trump’s decision to pull out of deal could result in a human rights catastrophe of epic proportions.

She warned the decision would set the world on a deadly collision course with disaster, war and insecurity

“Let there be no doubt, President Trump’s expected decision to withdraw the USA from the global climate deal is an assault on a range of human rights putting millions of people’s lives and wellbeing around the world in severe jeopardy,” she said.

“By refusing to join other nations in taking necessary steps to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change, the President is effectively saying: ‘Let them drown, burn and starve’.”

June 2, 2017 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, climate change, politics international