G7 environment ministers challenge Trump’s climate change withdrawal
President Trump’s much postponed decision to withdraw from the UN Paris Agreement on climate change announced on 1 June earned a slashing rebuke from the remaining six nation members of the G7 at their environment ministers’ meeting in Bologna.
The final 63-point communiqué issued by the Italian presidency states that “the Environment Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, and the European Commissioners responsible for environment and climate agree that the Paris Agreement is irreversible and its full integrity is key for the security and prosperity of our planet, societies and economies. Our actions will continue to be inspired and guided by the growing, global momentum to tackle climate change and to accelerate the irreversible transition to lowcarbon, climate-resilient and resource-efficient economies”.
A footnote emphasises the irreconcilable US position indicating that: “We ...the United States will continue to engage with key international partners in a manner that is consistent with our domestic priorities, preserving both a strong economy and a healthy environment. Accordingly, 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 US is the world’s second largest greenhouse gas emitter after China – together they account for over 40% of global emissions. The US withdrawal from the Agreement could seri- ously reduce collective efforts to achieve its targets to limit global warming to a safe level.
The tough Bologna language contrasts with the tactful reaction to Trump’s statement to the G7 summit in Taormina, two weeks ago that he would announce “a decision next week”. The Summit communiqué said that “the United States of America is in the process of reviewing its policies on climate change and on the Paris Agreement and thus is not in a position to join the consensus on these topics”.
Trump’s withdrawal announcement set off an instant firestorm of condemnation from world leaders, business groups, environmental NGOs and faith groups, sparking a homegrown US proParis “resistance movement”. By 6 June, over 1,200 businesses, universities and other interest groups had signed a “We Are Still In” statement submitted to the UN, co-ordinated by former New York City mayor and media billionaire Mike Bloomberg, who had previously announced this move during a visit to France’s President Macron on 3 June. Mr Bloomberg also promised to donate $15m to the UN climate change secretariat – compensating for the withdrawal of the US budget contribution over the next four years.
Fourteen US states have also launched their own US Climate Alliance with nine others expressing interest. Both groups have committed to deliver the greenhouse gas emission reductions inscribed in the Obama administration’s Nationally Determined Contribution tabled with the UNFCCC, in fact negating Trump’s vow not to implement the NDC.
A few hours after Trump’s announcement, France’s newly elected President, Emmanuel Macron made a first-ever declaration in English by a French head of state. Confirming strong support for the Agreement he added that “all scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and responsible citizens who were disappointed by the decision of the United States, will find in France a second homeland”. Adapting a Trump slogan he invited all to “make our planet great again”.
Shortly afterwards, President Macron, Chancellor Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentilone issued a joint letter strongly supporting the Paris Agreement, stating that re-negotiating was not possible. Theresa May made a separate statement, followed by dozens of world political leaders and spokespersons of developing country groupings such as the 48-nation Climate Vulnerable Forum.
On 2 June, an EU-China summit in Brussels inked a wide ranging co-operation agreement on climate change; a few days later California’s Governor Brown did the same in Beijing with China’s Prime Minister and back home with Germany’s environment minister, Barbra Hendricks.
In his withdrawal announcement Trump vowed that “we will begin negotiations to re-enter either the Paris accord or entirely new transaction on terms that are fair to the United States, its businesses, its workers, its people, its taxpayers. So we're getting out, but we will start to negotiate and we will see if we can make a deal that's fair. If we can, that's great. And if we can't, that's fine”.
"Trump has no understanding of the legal underpinning of the Paris Agreement," said Christiana Figueres, the previous executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (to which the Agreement is linked). “This is a vacuous political melodrama.” In fact, under the Agreement’s rules the US withdrawal can only take effect on 5 November 2020 at the earliest.
Commenting on the G7 environment ministers’ outcome, Italy’s environment minister Gian Carlo Galleti also emphasised that for the “other six” the Paris Agreement was “non-negotiable”. However he added that, “the G7 must maintain a dialogue... I hope that the US will change its mind. We worked to build bridges not walls”.
In contrast, Mr Galletti emphasised that there had been full agreement with the US on the rest of the topics discussed at the meeting – building on a series of informal meetings and workshops hosted by Italy over recent months. These included the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Sustainable Finance, Promoting Financial Centres for Sustainability, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), a five-year “Bologna Roadmap” on Resource Efficiency, 3Rs, Circular Economy and Sustainable Material Management, Environment Policies and Employment, Africa. Italy pledged to set up a centre in Rome for the voluntary exchange of information on increasing the effectiveness, synergies and complementarities of ongoing initiatives in support of the continent.
Hosting the G20 summit in Hamburg on 6-7 July, Chancellor Merkel will table an ambitious climate and energy plan worked out by G20 “Sherpa” (senior officials). A consensus adoption is now improbable, expectations being that it will be supported by all leaders except Trump in some kind of separate (non G20) declaration or Bologna-type formulation within the final communiqué.