On the second day of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, European leaders spoke out against President Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from the 2015 Paris Agreement, saying they would remain firmly committed to the global climate accord.
By Cristen Hemingway Jaynes
The first day of Trump’s second term on Monday included a rash of executive orders, which included departures from other United Nations climate convention agreements and deals, putting a stop to climate finance support by the U.S. for developing countries, reported Politico.
Referring to the Paris climate accord, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that “Europe will stay the course, and keep working with all nations that want to protect nature and stop global warming,” as The Associated Press reported.
Von der Leyen insisted that the European Union will stick with the landmark climate agreement.
“The Paris Agreement continues to be the best hope for all humanity,” von der Leyen said.
The global agreement aims to limit long-term global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius, or at least “well below” two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis.
Speaking at a panel ahead of November’s COP30 climate talks in Belém, Brazil, Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, said the “door remains open” for the U.S.
“The world is undergoing an energy transition that is unstoppable. Last year alone, over $2 trillion was invested in the transition (to clean energy). And that compares to one trillion in fossil fuels,” Stiell said, as reported by The Associated Press.
Stiell said the world is experiencing “crisis fatigue,” but added that, despite changes in the political landscape, “the science behind climate hasn’t changed. The impacts actually have changed in that they’re simply getting worse and worse.”
In response to Trump’s decision, Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo, during a session at Davos discussing Europe’s clean energy transition, expressed the importance of unity in tackling the climate crisis.
“[T]he world is full of uncertainty after yesterday even more, and maybe tomorrow there might be even more uncertainty. Let’s please, as Europeans within the European Union, not add to the uncertainty by creating ambiguity on our goals,” De Croo said.
Business leaders emphasized the economic benefits of remaining committed to the targets set out in the Paris Agreement.
“For us, who have been on the bumpy train ride for a couple of years, we are discovering year by year how we actually not only can succeed to deliver to the Paris Agreement but actually how it benefits business,” said IKEA CEO Jesper Brodin, as The Associated Press reported.
Trump’s exit from the Paris Agreement marks the second time he has pulled the country from the world’s biggest climate deal, a process that takes about a year to complete.
Von der Leyen said recent disastrous events in the U.S., including the Los Angeles wildfires, were evidence that “all continents will have to speed up the transition toward net zero,” as reported by Politico.
Wopke Hoekstra, EU climate commissioner, said it was a “truly unfortunate development that the world’s largest economy, and one of our closest allies in the fight against climate change, is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.”
“Despite this setback, we remain committed to working with the U.S. and our international partners to address the pressing issue of climate change,” Hoekstra said.
Global South activists and climate scientists were critical of Trump’s withdrawal of the U.S.
“Globally, Trump’s decision undermines the collective fight against climate change at a time when unity and urgency are more critical than ever. The most tragic consequences, however, will be felt in developing countries,” said Harjeet Singh, global engagement director of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, as The Associated Press reported. “These vulnerable nations and communities, which have contributed the least to global emissions, will bear the brunt of intensifying floods, rising seas, and crippling droughts.”
China also expressed concern about the U.S. exiting the accord.
“Climate change is a common challenge,” said Guo Jiakun, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. “No country can be outside of it. No country can be immune to it.”
