03 June, 2017
Leaders of scores of cities and some states across the country said Thursday they'll continue to follow global climate goals, even though President Donald Trump said the country is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.
A top atmospheric scientist at the U.N.'s weather agency said Friday that the "worst-case scenario" caused by the planned USA pullout from the Paris climate deal would be a further 0.3-degree Celsius (0.5 Fahrenheit) rise in global temperatures by 2100.
"Brazil is seriously concerned with the negative impact of such decision on the multilateral dialogue and cooperation to respond to global changes", the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Environment said in a joint statement. It joins Syria and Nicaragua as the only countries not party to it.
It had no comment on Trump's decision.
The suit claims the United States and various executive agencies have known for more than 50 years that carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels was destabilizing the climate system and significantly endangering them.
China will continue to implement its vision for sustainable development and take steps to tackle climate change "no matter what position other countries shall take", she said.
Around the world, coal-fired power plants are being shuttered as governments and private companies invest billions in wind turbines and solar farms. Think of it: India can double their coal production.
Anticipating a possible US pullout, officials from China and the European Union - two of the world's major polluters - had prepared a declaration reaffirming their commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement, which is widely considered a landmark deal for bringing together nearly all countries under a common goal.
Macron has been in office less than a month but he has already made it clear that he will not hold back when he disagrees with the US President. But despite Trump's decision to pull out, Germany is not looking to press sanctions against the US.
He reaffirmed France's commitment to the agreement and concluded: "Wherever we live, whoever we are, we all share the same responsibility: make our planet great again".
In telephone calls with Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British Prime Minister Theresa May also both expressed their disappointment with the decision. "This decision can not and will not stop those of us who feel obligated to protect our Earth".
Former president Barack Obama, who was instrumental in brokering the deal, said the Trump administration was joining a "small handful of nations that reject the future".
Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea regretted the USA move and reiterated their commitment to implement the agreement.
President Donald Trump may abandon USA pledges to reduce carbon emissions, but global economic realities ensure he is unlikely to reverse the accelerating push to adopt cleaner forms of energy.
"We find the problems, but we are working on them.Our ranking is getting better", he said.
In what was one of the most nervously-anticipated announcements in recent times, Trump had said: "In order to fulfill my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens, the United States will withdraw from the Paris climate accord".
Prof John Schellnhuber, a climate scientist and former adviser to the EU, Angela Merkel and the pope, said the United States would be the loser from its withdrawal.
