Posted on 06/07/2017 3:16:54 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The US is slowly withdrawing from the Paris agreement, but the rest of the world’s not having it.
Last week, the European Union and China released a joint statement declaring their intentions to move on with the Agreement with or without America. They were clearly referring to just the Executive Branch, however, as now they’ve decided to work with US states and cities that are keen on cutting their carbon footprint by going over the President’s weirdly coiffed head.
“Strong transatlantic ties are far more important and far more durable than the latest unfortunate decisions of the new administration,” EU President Donald Tusk said at the end of an EU-China summit in Brussels.
Rebuffing Trump’s suggestion that the climate accords could be “renegotiated,” EU officials have decided to cut out the White House entirely, and will instead deal directly with Governors, mayors, and CEOs of major corporations. This will include the Climate Alliance, a growing bipartisan group of states that have vowed to uphold the terms of the accord.
The official statement also included the ambition of working even more closely with Canada, another nation that reacted defiantly to the Trump administration's recent decision.
(TWEET-AT-LINK)
At the same time, China and the EU have vowed to make sure that the Green Climate Fund – donations from wealthy nations to help poorer countries meet their carbon-cutting targets – will be maintained, despite America’s refusal to pay. By 2020, they will be paying $100bn a year into the fund, something that is essential for the survival of low-income nations.
“The decision of the United States to pull out of the Paris agreement is utterly regrettable, and that is me choosing very restrained language,” Angele Merkel, Germany’s Chancellor, added.
“This is why it is necessary now after this announcement by the US administration yesterday evening, to turn our attention to the future.”
At the same time, Michael Bloomberg’s philanthropic organization said that it will donate $15 million to the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – something the US government is still obliged to pay – that, among other things, helps coordinate the Paris Pact.
“We can’t wait for national governments to act on climate change,” Bloomberg noted on Twitter. “For solutions, look to cities.”
It’s a thrill to see that the rest of the world, and much of the US, is essentially defying the President on this overwhelmingly important issue.
(TWEET-AT-LINK)
Ignoring the vast population of the planet – who think that pulling out of the Paris accord is a disgraceful one at the very least – there has been a total of 159 reactions from senior politicians, media outlets and figureheads from around the world. Out of these, 137 are negative, 10 are neutral, and just 12 are positive.
Of those positive reactions, one comes from his own administration (Rick Perry, the Secretary of Energy), two come from Trump apologists Newt Gingrich and Paul Ryan, and the rest come from right-wing press or think tanks.
This reckless decision was one of the most roundly condemned political moves of the last few decades, and it’s not difficult to see why – the world wants to do something about climate change, as it’s an existential threat to a vast swath of the planet.
No wonder the EU is taking unprecedented steps to circumvent the federal government to get things done. Some issues are far more important than scoring political points, and saving the planet, thankfully, is one of them.
Good luck with that. The Confederacy already tried it.
Unconstitutional!
How’s come we are the only ones who clean up our own environment with our own money?
Well folks. If other Countries demand America participate in things we don’t want to.......only one option. Force.
Work directly with the states? Just wait till they get the bill.
When did states become able to enter into agreements with foreign countries/cabals/unions?
Work directly exactly how? Exchange ambassadors? Impose tarrifs? LOL... Ridiculous!
Unconstitutional.
The whole operation can be based in Hawaii.
A blockade, cut comms, jam satellite reception, and pull the military out.
Bookmark
They can work with US cities that want to cripple economic activity to comply with meaningless standards and collect city and state taxes to plant trees in Vietnam
We should work with european cities that want better border security
Maybe in return we shpuld promote Poland to exit the EU with others...
And on another note.....I’m sure these states have the money in their budgets. /S
There. Fixed it.
WTF are the states going to do? Pay China and India to keep polluting? It’s laughable. They can’t do a damn thing.
Then we’ll see how long it takes for the lord of the flies to show up ... or China.
The imbecile mayors and governors who want to pursue this path are generally the ones heading the most bankrupt entities. I’m sure they will get far!
Good luck conjuring up $100 billion/year from all the parasites and freeloaders.
Bloomberg’s fortune would evaporate pretty quick if he were serious, but ofc he’s only actually pledged $15 million, which is a drop of spittle to him and not even a drop to the claims of the globull governance cult.
Mayors and governors conducting negotiations against the Presidency is illegal as hell. There must be consequences for this.
There must also be serious consequences for the Europeans who are seeking these negotiations. Trump better get a handle on this fast and decisively.
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