FORMER IRISH PRESIDENT Mary Robinson has said the US will become a “rogue state” if it pulls out of the Paris agreement on climate change.
President Donald Trump yesterday delayed a decision to honour or walk away from the climate accord until he returns from Europe late this month, leaving global partners in limbo.
“If it does [walk away], it is a rogue state in the world. I have to say that,” Robinson, who also served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the UN in New York.
It becomes a rogue state because it is totally failing in its clear responsibility as one of the largest emitters and historic emitter. And for the problems that have been caused by the disrupted climate in the very poor countries and communities around the world.
It is unconscionable if the United States pulls out and if the United States stays in but does not support the green climate fund, does not support the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change], does not support the commitments that too is unconscionable.
And I think we have to be very clear in understanding the injustice of that.
Divisions within Trump’s administration have left in doubt the participation of the world’s number two carbon polluter – after China – in the landmark 2015 agreement to limit global warming.
After months of uncertainty, Trump had appeared to be edging toward a decision.
But the White House postponed a key meeting scheduled for yesterday that could have determined the fate of the 196-nation accord, and hours later said there would be no decision before the end of the month.
Trump will “not be making an announcement regarding that agreement until after he returns from the G7,” White House spokesman Sean Spicer said. That meeting, in Sicily, ends on 27 May.
Despite hardline pre-election rhetoric against the deal, Trump’s inner circle has been tasked with providing the president with a range of policy options.
The group includes Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, White House strategist Steve Bannon, Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt, as well as Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Administration officials said the crunch sit-down may now take place next week, before Trump departs for a first foreign trip that will take in Saudi Arabia, Israel, the Vatican and Brussels before ending in Sicily.
“The president wants to make sure he has an opportunity to continue to meet with his team to create the best strategy for this country going forward,” said Spicer.
Full withdrawal would upset Washington’s allies and seriously undermine global efforts to limit carbon emissions, which the vast majority of experts say are changing the climate in dangerous ways.
With reporting from © AFP 2017
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