US to join climate talks despite exit

Washington, Aug. 5: The United States announced Friday it would still take part in international climate change negotiations in order to protect its interests despite its planned withdrawal from the Paris accord on global warming.

Two months after President Donald Trump announced the United States would abandon the 2015 global pact, his administration confirmed it had informed the United Nations of its “intent to withdraw from the Paris Agreement” — a process that will take at least until 2020.

But in a statement, the state department said Washington was still committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and engaging with the international community on combating climate change.

“We will continue to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions through innovation and technology breakthroughs, and work with other countries to help them access and use fossil fuels more cleanly and efficiently and deploy renewable and other clean energy sources,” said the statement.

It added, “The United States will continue to participate in international climate change negotiations and meetings... to protect US interests and ensure all future policy options remain open to the administration.

“Such participation will include ongoing negotiations related to guidance for implementing the Paris Agreement.”

Mr Trump sparked widespread international criticism when he announced on June 1 that he had decided to pull the world’s largest economy out of the painstakingly-negotiated accord, in line with his pledge to voters in last year’s election.

While mr Trump said he was open to a renegotiation of the pact, the suggestion was swiftly shot down by fellow world leaders who said it was nonnegotiable.

Speaking on a visit to Paris last month, Mr Trump again raised the prospect of a change in policy by saying “something could happen” regarding US participation in the accord but gave no details. Friday’s statement reiterated that Mr Trump was “open to reengaging”.