Angela Merkel and Jean-Claude Junker lead European criticism, echoed around the world, of Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement.
ADVERTISEMENT
The diplomatic fallout following Donald Trump’s withdrawal of America from the Paris climate accord has been heavy,
and popular reaction in Europe and elsewhere has been scathing.
In Germany the Greens are strong and established and their criticisms have been mirrored by Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“The US decision to quit the Paris agreement is extremely regrettable, and that’s putting it mildly. Therefore I will be extremely cautious about this,” she said.
EU Commission President Jean-Claude Junker, with China’s Premier Li Keqiang by his side at an EU-China summit in Brussels, warned quitting would not be easy.
He stressed forwards was the only way to go.
“There is no reverse gear to the energy transition and there is no backsliding on this Paris agreement,” he insisted.
Most experts agree that there is little economic logic to Trump’s decision, which represents a victory for the nationalist wing in his administration,
but defeat for the Secretary of State and Trump’s own daughter and son-in-law.