WASHINGTON, 2 June (BelTA - Xinhua) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he has decided to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement, a landmark global pact to fight climate change.
The U.S. will cease honoring non-binding parts of the deal "as of today," Trump said at a press conference in the White House Rose Garden, adding that his administration will also cease implementation of the "draconian financial and economic burdens the agreement imposes on our country."
Calling the Paris Agreement "hamstrings" the United States while "empowers" other countries, Trump said the United States would begin negotiations to re-enter the agreement.
However, Trump indicated that re-entry may not be a top priority for his administration.
"If we can, great. If we can't, that's fine," said Trump, adding that the new agreement must ensure "fair" treatment to the United States, its business, its workers, and its taxpayers.
Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement fulfilled a campaign promise, but was expected to meet widespread opposition both at home and abroad.
The Paris Agreement of climate change, agreed on by almost every country in the world in 2015 after lengthy negotiations, aims to tackle climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions and sets a global target of keeping the rise in the average temperature no higher than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
