President rails against deal that commits all nations into limiting global warming caused by fossil fuel emissions
DONALD Trump has announced he is withdrawing the US from the Paris climate change agreement in a bid to create a "level playing field" for the American economy.
Criticising its impact on US markets, he officially announced the withdrawal yesterday afternoon - ending a week of intense speculation.
Although he was reported to have kept an "open mind" about the deal over the past few weeks, his decision is unsurprising given he refused to bow to G7 leaders' demands he remain in during last week's summit.
European leaders begged him not to withdraw during the meeting in Sicily, but he said only that his final decision would be announced yesterday.
Announcing his decision in the White House Rose Garden on Thursday, the President argued the agreement held back US economic might.
"This agreement is less about the climate and more about other countries obtaining a financial advantage over the United States", he said.
Trump added that he wanted to create a "level playing field" while promising to independently establish the "highest standard of living, highest standard of environmental protection."
"I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris", he said.
Theresa May last night told Trump she was "disappointed" in his decision to withdraw the US from the landmark climate change agreement.
In a phone call, the Prime Minister said the UK remains committed to the international pledge.
But she held back from signing a scathing letter signed by other European leaders insisting the agreement, which limits the use of fossil fuels, could not be renegotiated.
Just hours earlier, five Nordic countries signed a letter begging Trump to "make the right decision" by pledging to stay in the deal.
And Boris Johnson warned Trump against against withdrawing, saying it would be a "bad decision".
He left room for "re-entering" the agreement or negotiating "an entirely new transaction".
But the decision has already been met with scorn by critics — including his predecessor.
Obama said the move would see the United States "reject the future."
I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris
President Trump
"The nations that remain in the Paris Agreement will be the nations that reap the benefits in jobs and industries created," Obama warned in a statement.
"Even in the absence of American leadership; even as this administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future; I'm confident that our states, cities, and businesses will step up and do even more to lead the way, and help protect for future generations the one planet we've got," he added.
The US Conference of Mayors said it strongly opposed Trump's decision, while eco-warrior and former Vice President Al Gore slammed it as "a reckless and indefensible action" to pull out.
The nations that remain in the Paris Agreement will be the nations that reap the benefits in jobs and industries created
Former President Barack Obama
The 2015 Paris Agreement was the first pact to commit all nations to limiting global warming caused by emissions from burning coal, oil and gas.
However, Trump has previously expressed concerns about the impacts it could have on the US economy and American jobs.
The emission reduction targets agreed to by President Obama would require the imposition of huge controls across much of the US economy.
Overall, nations agreed to hold global warming to "well below" 2C over pre-Industrial Revolution levels, and to strive for a lower limit of 1.5 degrees.
Experts say even the two-degree ceiling is a tall order, requiring an immediate and deep reduction in planet-warming emissions from fossil fuels.
Yesterday a source told Reuters Trump was preparing to pull out of the agreement.
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, had said Trump was favouring an exit, however, and was working out terms of the planned withdrawal with EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.
During the campaign, Trump had said the accord would cost the US economy trillions of dollars with no tangible benefit.
Trump also has expressed doubts about climate change, at times calling it a hoax to weaken US industry.
The Republican vowed at the time to "cancel" the Paris deal within 100 days of becoming President on January 20, part of an effort to bolster US oil and coal industries.
Trump has repeatedly shown he willing to shake up longstanding agreements with European allies.
He has regularly asserted NATO members are not meeting the defence organisation's obligations of spending 2 percent of GDP on their militaries.
As speculation Trump would withdraw from the agreement heated up this week, China - the world's number one polluter - is set to side with the UN and reaffirm its intent to transition its economy away from fossil fuels.
The joint-announcement expected tomorrow is likely a power-move designed to try and usurp the US's role as a global leader given Trump's emphasis on "America first" policies.
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