The United States bowed out of a communiqué on the Paris Climate Accord by G-7 environment ministers on June 12, reiterating in a footnote that it plans to step out of the climate agreement completely.
“We the United States do not join those sections of the communiqué on climate and MDBs [multilateral development banks], reflecting our recent announcement to withdraw and immediately cease implementation of the Paris Agreement and associated financial commitments.”
The White House has made it clear that it sees the international agreement, which was never ratified by Congress, as a threat to American jobs, the economy, and its competitive advantage against other countries, specifically China and India, and that the agreement’s impact on climate would be “negligible.”
The joint letter came after a meeting of the environment ministers from Italy, France, Germany, the U.K., Japan, Canada, and the European Union in the northern Italian city of Bologna.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said in a statement the same day that it was committed to working with its international partners, but “in a manner that is consistent with our domestic priorities, preserving both a strong economy and a healthy environment.”
Part of the U.S.’s objection was to funding MDBs, which help developing nations meet their climate change goals.
Under the Paris agreement, the United States aimed to cut carbon dioxide emissions, which are believed by most scientists to be the cause of climate change, from between 26 and 28 percent of 2005 levels by 2025. The overarching goal of the agreement, which was signed by 197 nations in 2015, was to limit global warming to 2 degrees or less by 2100, mainly through pledges to cut carbon dioxide and emissions.
In a June 1 call with four leaders of the G-7 nations, President Donald Trump made his intentions known to withdraw from the accord, promising that the United States “will be the cleanest and most environmentally friendly country on Earth” under his administration, according to a statement of the call.
G-7 leaders have expressed disappointment at the U.S.’s statements and have said they hope the United States will rethink its decision.
