WASHINGTON, DC \u2014 President Donald Trump\u2019s supporters on Friday cast his decision to abandon the world\u2019s climate change pact as a \u201crefreshing\u201d stance for th<\/b>
\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2014 President Donald Trump\u2019s supporters on Friday cast his decision to abandon the world\u2019s climate change pact as a \u201crefreshing\u201d stance for the US that would save jobs and unburden industry.
In a fierce rejoinder from across the globe, leaders of other nations and scientists pointed to jobs that could be created in green technology and the edge China could be given as a result. China has overtaken the US in transitioning to renewable energy, generating a fifth of its electricity from renewable sources. The US only sources about 13 percent of its electricity from renewable energy.
In television interviews the morning after Trump\u2019s announcement, Vice President Mike Pence and Kellyanne Conway, a senior White House aide, defended Trump\u2019s decision as a reassertion of America\u2019s sovereignty. They both appeared on Fox News\u2019 \u201cFox & Friends.\u201d
Pence called Trump\u2019s decision \u201crefreshing.\u201d The Paris deal \u201creally put an extraordinary burden on the American economy while allowing some countries around the world like China and India to literally go a decade or more without any accountability for reducing C02 emissions, \u201d Pence said.
He said the deal would have cost taxpayers billions of dollars. \u201cIn a very real sense, it was a transfer of wealth from the most powerful economy in the world to other countries around the planet, \u201d Pence said.
Conway made similar remarks in an interview on Fox News, citing \u201cfairness\u201d to American workers and businesses.
White House talking points on the decision sent to Republican lawmakers Thursday and obtained by The Associated Press made similar arguments.
Scientists say Earth is likely to reach more dangerous levels of warming sooner as a result of the president\u2019s decision because America\u2019s pollution contributes so much to rising temperatures. Calculations suggest withdrawal from the Paris accord could result in emissions of up to 3 billion tons of additional carbon dioxide a year \u2014 enough to melt ice sheets faster, raise seas higher and trigger more extreme weather.
While Trump and Pence have suggested the possibility of renegotiating the agreement, the leaders of Italy, Germany and France have said that won\u2019 t happen. Germany\u2019s environment minister told reporters Friday \u201cthere will be no new deal with the United States\u201d on climate change and predicted global climate will \u201csurvive\u201d Trump\u2019s maximum presidential term of eight years.
Barbara Hendricks said other countries will fill the leadership void left by the United States but none will be expected to make up the shortfall in emissions reductions caused by Washington\u2019s exit.
A top European Union official said the EU and China believe Trump made a grievous error. Standing alongside Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, EU Council President Donald Tusk said Friday, \u201cWe are convinced that yesterday\u2019s decision by the United States to leave the Paris agreement is a big mistake.\u201d
Meanwhile, African nations are protesting Trump\u2019s decision. South Africa\u2019s government calls the US pullout \u201can abdication of global responsibility.\u201d
In announcing his decision, Trump said he was \u201celected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.\u201d By abandoning the world\u2019s chief effort to slow the tide of planetary warming, Trump was fulfilling a top campaign pledge after weeks of building up suspense over his decision.
The White House indicated it would follow the lengthy exit process outlined in the deal. That means the US would remain in the agreement, at least formally, for another three-and-a-half years, ensuring the issue remains alive in the next presidential election.
However, Trump declared, emphasizing every word: \u201cAs of today, the United States will cease all implementation of the nonbinding Paris accord.\u201d
He is breaking from many of America\u2019s staunchest allies, who have expressed alarm about the decision. Several of his top aides also opposed the action, including his daughter, Ivanka Trump.
Under former President Barack Obama, the US had agreed under the accord to reduce polluting emissions by more than a quarter below 2005 levels by 2025. But the national targets are voluntary, leaving room for the U. S. and the nearly 200 other countries in the agreement to alter their commitments. But the national targets are voluntary, leaving room for the US and the nearly 200 other countries in the agreement to alter their commitments.
At home, the US Conference of Mayors strongly opposed the decision and said the nation\u2019s mayors will continue efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming.
Responding to Trump\u2019s pointing to his city, Pittsburgh, Mayor Bill Peduto called the decision \u201cdisastrous for our planet, for cities such as Pittsburgh, \u201d and a step that \u201chas made America weaker and the world less safe.\u201d
In a rare statement on his successor\u2019s policies, Obama said: \u201cEven in the absence of American leadership; even as this administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future, I\u2019 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\u2019 ve got.\u201d
The immediate impact of Trump\u2019s move could be largely symbolic. The White House said the U. S. will stop contributing to the United Nations Green Climate Fund and will stop reporting carbon data as required by the Paris accord, although domestic regulations require that reporting anyway. The decision has no direct impact on major U. S. regulations on power plants and car rules currently aimed at reducing carbon emissions, although those are currently under review by Trump as well.
\u201cThis agreement is less about the climate and more about other countries gaining a financial advantage over the United States, \u201d Trump said.
Congressional Republicans applauded the decision, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky saying Trump had \u201cput families and jobs ahead of left-wing ideology and should be commended.\u201d
But House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California called it \u201ca stunning abdication of American leadership and a grave threat to our planet\u2019s future.\u201d
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who had urged Trump to stay in the Paris deal, did not attend the ceremony, nor did Trump\u2019s son-in-law Jared Kushner and his wife, Ivanka, both close advisers to the president who supported staying in the agreement. A White House official said the couple instead attended service at synagogue for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.
Business investors seemed pleased, with stock prices, already up for the day, bumping higher as he spoke and the Dow Jones industrial average rising 135 points for the day.
The US is the world\u2019s second-largest emitter of carbon, following only China. Beijing, however, has reaffirmed its commitment to meeting its targets under the Paris accord, recently canceling construction of about 100 coal-fired power plants and investing billions in massive wind and solar projects.<\/p>\n

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