Trump accused of ‘utter contempt’ over refusal to sign climate change agreement
German Chancellor Angela Merkel describing discussions on climate change at the gathering in Sicily as “very unsatisfying”.
British environmentalists accused Donald Trump of treating the international community with “utter contempt” after he refused to sign up to global action on climate change at an international summit.
The US President told leaders of the G7 countries that they would have to wait until next week for his decision on whether America would honour its undertakings under the Paris Agreement to limit global warming.
Under pressure from other G7 states – the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Japan – Mr Trump put his name to commitments to avoid trade protectionism and preserve a rules-based trade system.
But he refused to join the consensus on climate change, sending a tweet to say: “I will make my final decision on the Paris Accord next week!”
European leaders made little attempt to hide their frustration, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel describing discussions on climate change at the gathering in Sicily as “very unsatisfying”.
And the White House said G7 leaders had a “very robust” conversation before agreeing a final communique which stated the “strong commitment” of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the UK to the 2015 Agreement, but noted that the US was “not in a position to join the consensus on these topics”.
Friends of the Earth CEO Craig Bennett said Mr Trump – who once dismissed man-made climate change as a Chinese-inspired hoax – risked turning the US into a “pariah state” unless he finally came out in support of the Agreement, which aims to stop global temperatures from rising more than two degrees centigrade and was accepted by his predecessor Barack Obama last year.
“Trump’s unwillingness to support the Paris Agreement highlights his utter contempt towards science, the international community and welfare of millions of people across the globe,” said Mr Bennett.
“The world will not stand idly by whilst Donald Trump takes a wrecking ball to global efforts to prevent catastrophic climate change – one of the biggest challenges the world faces. Trump’s short-sighted actions could make the US into a pariah state. We urge him to surprise us all next week and come out showing his support for Paris.”
Mrs Merkel told reporters: “The entire discussion about climate was very difficult, if not to say very unsatisfying.
“There are no indications whether the United States will stay in the Paris Agreement or not.”
And the summit’s host, Italian PM Paolo Gentiloni, said the other six G7 states “won’t change our position on climate change one millimetre. The US hasn’t decided yet. I hope they decide in the right way.”
Gentiloni said climate was “not a minor point” and that he hoped the United States would decide “soon and well” because the Paris accords “need the contribution of the United States.”
French President Emmanuel Macron praised Mr Trump’s “capacity to listen” and his “intention to progress with us”.
Mr Macron said he told the US President that it was “indispensable for the reputation of the United States and the interest of the Americans themselves that the United States remain committed” to the Paris agreement.
