Trump Withdraws US from Paris Climate Accord

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

President Donald Trump on Thursday, June 1, 2017, announced his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord signed in 2015.

The agreement was put in place to set out a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C.

During his speech today, Mr Trump said the deal does not favour America, stressing that it punishes the US, while making others happy.

“In order to fulfil my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens, the United States will withdraw from the Paris climate accord,” Mr Trump said in his speech.

Speaking from the White House Rose Garden, President Trump however said, “We will start to renegotiate and we will see if there’s a better deal and if we can, great, but if we can’t, that’s fine.”

Mr Trump reiterated his commitment to always put America first.

He said with the withdrawal, America will immediately stop contributing to the Green Climate Fund of the United Nations.

“The United States will cease all implementation of the nonbinding Paris accord,” he added.

He described the Paris Accord as “a bad deal for Americans,” blaming the “Obama administration” for “poorly” negotiating and signing the deal “out of desperation.”