G20 leaders set to tell Trump to take lead role on climate change
COLLECTIVE MESSAGE Trudeau calls it challenge but an opportunity to invest
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a German newspaper on Friday the leaders of G20 countries meeting in Hamburg would tell US President Donald Trump he should take the lead in addressing climate change.
Trump decided last month to pull the United States out of the 2015 Paris accord on climate change, saying it would wipe out US jobs. Climate policy is expected to be a significant bone of contention at the G20 Summit.
“We’ll tell him it’s important to take a lead role in tackling climate change and creating good jobs,” Trudeau told Bild newspaper.
British Prime Minister Theresa May echoed Trudeau.
“I believe it is possible. We’re not renegotiating the Paris Agreement -- that stays. But I want to see the United States looking for ways to rejoin it,” May told the BBC.
“I believe the collective message that will be given to President Trump around this table will be the importance of America coming back into that agreement, and I hope we will be able to work to ensure that can happen.”
Trudeau told Bild climate change was happening, and it was a challenge but also an opportunity to invest. He added the same was true of global trade. Trump has advocated more protectionist measures.
“Instead of saying we’ll stop trade, we need to create opportunities for smaller companies and protect workers’ rights with progressive trade agreements like CETA,” Trudeau said, referring to the EU-Canada free trade deal.