U.S. exit from climate pact draws global condemnation

Trump’s decision elicits warnings from leaders, scientists

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s supporters on Friday cast his decision to abandon the world’s climate change pact as a “refreshing” stance for the U.S. that would save jobs and unburden industry.

In a fierce rejoinder from across the globe, leaders of other nations and scientists pointed to jobs that could be created in green technology and the edge China could be given as a result. China has overtaken the U.S. in transitioning to renewable energy, generating one-fifth of its electricity from renewable sources. The U.S. sources only about 13 percent of its electricity from renewable energy.

In television interviews the morning after Trump’s announcement, Vice President Mike Pence and Kellyanne Conway, a senior White House aide, defended Trump’s decision as a reassertion of America’s sovereignty. They both appeared on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.”

Pence called Trump’s decision “refreshing.” The Paris deal “really put an extraordinary burden on the American economy while allowing some countries around the world like China and India to literally go a decade or more without any accountability for reducing CO2 emissions,” Pence said.

He said the deal would have cost taxpayers billions and “was a transfer of wealth from the most powerful economy in the world to other countries around the planet.”

Conway made similar remarks on Fox News, citing “fairness” to American workers and businesses.

White House talking points on the decision sent to Republican lawmakers Thursday made similar arguments.

Scientists say Earth is likely to reach more dangerous levels of warming sooner as a result of the president’s decision because America’s pollution contributes so much to rising temperatures. Calculations suggest withdrawal from the Paris accord could result in emissions of up to 3 billion tons of additional carbon dioxide a year — enough to melt ice sheets faster and trigger more extreme weather.

While Trump and Pence have suggested the possibility of renegotiating the agreement, the leaders of Italy, Germany and France have said that won’t happen. Germany’s environment minister told reporters “there will be no new deal with the United States” on climate change and predicted global climate will “survive” Trump’s maximum presidential term of eight years.

Barbara Hendricks said other countries will fill the leadership void left by the United States but none will be expected to make up the shortfall in emissions reductions caused by Washington’s exit.

A top European Union official said the EU and China believe Trump made a grievous error. Standing alongside Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, EU Council President Donald Tusk said Friday, “We are convinced that yesterday’s decision by the United States to leave the Paris agreement is a big mistake.”