Washington [US], January 22: President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement on Monday, once again placing the world's top historic emitter of greenhouse gases outside the global pact aimed at pushing nations to tackle climate change.
Here are some reactions to the announcement of the second U.S. withdrawal from the climate pact:
SIMON STIELL, U.N. CLIMATE CHANGE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
"Embracing (the global clean energy boom) will mean massive profits, millions of manufacturing jobs and clean air. Ignoring it only sends all that vast wealth to competitor economies, while climate disasters like droughts, wildfires and superstorms keep getting worse, destroying property and businesses, hitting nation-wide food production, and driving economy-wide price inflation.
"The door remains open to the Paris Agreement, and we welcome constructive engagement from any and all countries."
CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN MAO NING
"China is concerned about the U.S. announcement that it will withdraw from the Paris Agreement. Climate change is a common challenge facing all of humanity. No country can stay out of it, and no country can be immune to it."
BRAZIL'S ENVIRONMENT MINISTER MARINA SILVA
"President Donald Trump in his inaugural speech started to confirm the most pessimistic predictions about the challenging times to come. His first announcements go against backing the energy transition, combating climate change, and valuing renewable energy.
"They are the opposite of policies guided by evidence brought by science and common sense imposed by the reality of extreme weather events, including in his own country."
EU CLIMATE COMMISSIONER WOPKE HOEKSTRA
"It's 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 address the pressing issue of climate change. The Paris Agreement has strong foundations and is here to stay."
FORMER FRENCH PM AND PRESIDENT OF COP 21 LAURENT FABIUS
"This is a serious decision, contrary to scientific evidence, but one that should not prevent us from continuing the vital international fight against climate change and its serious consequences for humanity."
ALI MOHAMED, CHAIR OF THE AFRICA GROUP IN U.N. CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS AND KENYA'S CLIMATE ENVOY
"The leadership of the United States is critical in mobilising climate finance, advancing clean energy transitions, and ensuring the equitable implementation of global climate goals. Equally important is the need to promote multilateralism as the foundation for addressing climate change and other global challenges."
EVANS NJEWA, CHAIR OF THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES GROUP IN U.N. CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS
"We deeply regret U.S.A. plans to exit from the Paris Agreement. This threatens to reverse hard-won gains in reducing emissions & puts our vulnerable countries at greater risk. The Paris Agreement remains a vital climate pact & we must protect it for the future of our planet & generation."
NEW YORK GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL AND NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM, CO-CHAIRS OF THE U.S. CLIMATE ALLIANCE
"Our states and territories continue to have broad authority under the U.S. Constitution to protect our progress and advance the climate solutions we need. This does not change with a shift in federal administration . It's critical for the international community to know that climate action will continue in the U.S. The Alliance will bring this message to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Brazil (COP30) later this year."
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION SPOKESPERSON CLARE NULLIS:
"The United States of America accounts for the lion's share of global economic losses from weather, climate and water-related hazards. According to the U.S. figures, the U.S. has sustained more than 400 weather and climate disasters since 1980 where overall costs exceeded $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 political influence and pass up opportunities to shape the exploding green energy market."
LAURENCE TUBIANA, CEO OF THE EUROPEAN CLIMATE FOUNDATION AND A KEY ARCHITECT OF THE PARIS AGREEMENT
"The context today is very different to 2017. There is unstoppable economic momentum behind the global transition, which the U.S. has gained from and led, but now risks forfeiting."
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Cooperation
