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EU leads attacks on Trump's rollback of Obama climate policy
Europe poised to take baton from US as leader in global efforts to fight climate change, with America’s commitment to Paris accords at risk
Environmental activists protest outside the EU Council in Brussels. Europe is poised to take the lead in global efforts against climate change. Photograph: Francois Lenoir/Reuters
Climate change
EU leads attacks on Trump's rollback of Obama climate policy
Europe poised to take baton from US as leader in global efforts to fight climate change, with America’s commitment to Paris accords at risk
David Smith in Washington and Caty Enders and Dominic Rushe in New York
Tuesday 28 March 2017 22.59 BST Last modified on Tuesday 28 March 2017 23.13 BST
The European Union has led criticism of Donald Trump’s effort to unravel Barack Obama’s measures to combat climate change, suggesting that Europe will now take the lead in global efforts.
The US president signed an executive order on Tuesday aimed at eliminating the clean power plan, Obama’s landmark policy to set limits on the amount of greenhouse gases that power plants emit. America’s commitment to the Paris accord of nearly 200 countries now hangs in the balance.
Miguel Árias Cañete, the EU’s climate action commissioner, said: “We regret the US is rolling back the main pillar of its climate policy, the clean power plan. Now, it remains to be seen by which other means the United States intends to meet its commitments under the Paris agreement.”
He added: “The continued leadership of the EU, China and many other major economies is now more important than ever. When it comes to climate and the global clean energy transition, there cannot be vacuums, there can only be drivers, and we are committed to driving this agenda forward.”
The EU has the most ambitious emissions reduction target, Árias Cañete said. “We will stand by Paris, we will defend Paris, and we will implement Paris.”
EU leads attacks on Trump's rollback of Obama climate policy
Europe poised to take baton from US as leader in global efforts to fight climate change, with America’s commitment to Paris accords at risk
Environmental activists protest outside the EU Council in Brussels. Europe is poised to take the lead in global efforts against climate change. Photograph: Francois Lenoir/Reuters
Climate change
EU leads attacks on Trump's rollback of Obama climate policy
Europe poised to take baton from US as leader in global efforts to fight climate change, with America’s commitment to Paris accords at risk
David Smith in Washington and Caty Enders and Dominic Rushe in New York
Tuesday 28 March 2017 22.59 BST Last modified on Tuesday 28 March 2017 23.13 BST
The European Union has led criticism of Donald Trump’s effort to unravel Barack Obama’s measures to combat climate change, suggesting that Europe will now take the lead in global efforts.
The US president signed an executive order on Tuesday aimed at eliminating the clean power plan, Obama’s landmark policy to set limits on the amount of greenhouse gases that power plants emit. America’s commitment to the Paris accord of nearly 200 countries now hangs in the balance.
Miguel Árias Cañete, the EU’s climate action commissioner, said: “We regret the US is rolling back the main pillar of its climate policy, the clean power plan. Now, it remains to be seen by which other means the United States intends to meet its commitments under the Paris agreement.”
He added: “The continued leadership of the EU, China and many other major economies is now more important than ever. When it comes to climate and the global clean energy transition, there cannot be vacuums, there can only be drivers, and we are committed to driving this agenda forward.”
The EU has the most ambitious emissions reduction target, Árias Cañete said. “We will stand by Paris, we will defend Paris, and we will implement Paris.”
EU leads attacks on Trump's rollback of Obama climate policy
