President Trump, in a sharp reversal of Obama administration policy, is expected to announce the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement despite an appeal by European leaders to stick with the global treaty that would limit the emission of greenhouse gases.
A White House official confirmed media reports Wednesday that the president is expected to pull out of the accord, which went into effect in November, the Associated Press reports.
For his part, Trump tweeted only that he would be announcing his decision regarding the treaty "over the next few days."
Details on the withdrawal are being worked out by a small team including EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, according to Axios, which broke the story on Wednesday. It quotes two sources with direct knowledge of the decision.
In a slightly more cautious report, CBS says the president is expected to withdraw from the accord, but has also has discussed with senior White House staff an effort to renegotiate the agreement with an eye to making its provisions less onerous to U.S. industry.
In October, President Obama hailed the accord, which was signed by 197 parties to fight global warming, as "the best possible shot to save the one planet we've got."
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly expressed his skepticism over laws and regulations driven by environmental concerns.
On Tuesday, White House spokesperson Sean Spicer was asked directly at a press briefing whether the president believes that humans affect global warming. His reply: "I'll get back to you."
It was not immediately clear whether the president intends to make a quick, clean break with the treaty or to work out a full, formal withdrawal, which could take three years.
Axios reports that the decision to withdraw from the accord followed an appeal by 22 Republican senators, including Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell, calling for a "clean exit" from the agreement.
I will be announcing my decision on the Paris Accord over the next few days. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017
The move, if confirmed, comes despite the urging of European leaders at the G-7 summit last week in meetings with Trump not to abandon the accord.
Trump economic adviser Gary Cohn told reporters on Saturday in Sicily that the president had told his fellow G7 leaders that “the environment is very, very important to me, Donald Trump” — but voiced his concern that the U.S. was falling behind India and China in manufacturing. “He didn't want to do anything to put the U.S. at a disadvantage,” Cohn said.
The agreement, formally known as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, focuses on ways to reduce greenhouse gases emissions. It was negotiated by 195 countries at a conference in 2015.
It went into effect in November following ratification by at least 55 parties accounting for at least 55 percent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions. Under the terms of the treaty, member countries promised to reduce their carbon output "as soon as possible" and to do their best to keep global warming "well below 2-degree Celsius" of pre-industrial levels.
Climate change is undeniable
Climate action is unstoppable
Climate solutions provide opportunities that are unmatchable.
-@antonioguterres https://t.co/a8O14NCLUc
Shortly after the news broke Wednesday, the United Nations official account tweeted a note from U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres: "Climate change is undeniable ... Climate action is unstoppable ... Climate solutions provide opportunities that are unmatchable."
