The Trump administration didn’t hesitate to withdraw from the Paris climate accord as soon as it could.
According to the Washington Post, the Trump administration on Monday announced its plan to officially withdraw from the Paris climate accord — which the President has repeatedly criticized — next fall. Last month, Trump said the agreement was a “total disaster” and that the Obama administration’s vow to reduce carbon emissions under the deal would “hurt the competitiveness” of the U.S.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the administration officially gave the United Nations notice of its planned withdrawal in a Monday afternoon statement.
“In international climate discussions, we will continue to offer a realistic and pragmatic model – backed by a record of real world results – showing innovation and open markets lead to greater prosperity, fewer emissions, and more secure sources of energy,” Pompeo said in the statement. “We will continue to work with our global partners to enhance resilience to the impacts of climate change and prepare for and respond to natural disasters.”
The Post noted that Monday marks the first day that the administration could put in its one-year notice, which now permits the U.S. to officially leave the Paris agreement the day after the 2020 election on Nov. 4, 2020.
The Paris climate accord legally came into effect Nov. 4, 2016 under the Obama administration and just days before the 2016 presidential election. According to U.N. rules, no country could withdraw from the accord for three years.
Read the Washington Post’s report here.
