Merkel vows Europe’s G20 nations are united behind Paris climate deal

Angela Merkel warned against isolationism. GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel said the European G20 participants are united behind the Paris climate accord despite the American decision to pull out of the deal.

Speaking after meetings with her counterparts from France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Norway, and EU representatives, Mrs Merkel said she “regrets” the US decision but the European G20 participants are “united” in backing the agreement.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the fight against climate change would feature at the summit in Hamburg on July 7 and 8, saying “we will clearly reaffirm our very strong commitment to the Paris accords... with at least the hope that one or another will be brought to reason and can follow us”.

Ms Merkel said European countries will work to find “joint solutions” with the US on climate change and other issues during the summit.

Mr Macron said “it is no use isolating a state”.

The European Union will implement swiftly its commitments under that deal, Mrs Merkel said.

She added: “Since the decision by the United States of America to leave the Paris climate accord, we are more determined than ever to lead it to success.”

She said “the Paris agreement is irreversible and it is not negotiable”.

“We cannot expect easy talks in Hamburg”, she said.

“The disagreement is obvious, and it would be dishonest to gloss over it.”

“As the G20, we cannot ignore the challenge that climate change poses to all of us in the world,” she said, adding leaders must bear in mind the concerns of countries most at risk from rising sea levels.

Mrs Merkel said the talks in Hamburg must “serve the substance and aims of the Paris accord”.

More broadly, she said: “Anyone who thinks that they can solve the problems of this world with isolationism and protectionism is making an enormous mistake.”

Mrs Merkel was addressing Germany’s parliament ahead of a meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin with European G20 participants.

She also said she hopes for a “clear signal” in favour of free markets and the multilateral trading system at the summit.

The Trump administration’s “America first” approach to trade and other issues has caused widespread concern.