US decision to leave climate negotiations is a severe setback

- EU should stay committed to implementing Paris Agreement -

Today US President Donald Trump has announced to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. The deal brokered in Paris in 2015 was seen as a landmark for coordinated global climate efforts.

BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer commented: 

“We regret President Trump’s decision that marks a severe setback for the global efforts to protect our climate. Loosening the commitment from the US, a major economy that alone counts for 14% of global emissions raises severe questions on the world's capacity to avoid climate change. Despite the US decision, moving backwards on climate protection is not an alternative. The EU should stay fully committed to implementing the Paris Agreement. We hope that the US decision will not have spill-over effects on the commitment from other countries especially major economies. The EU, which already has the world’s most ambitious emission reduction effort, cannot shoulder what other major economies have committed to deliver. We therefore call on EU decision-makers to engage as soon as possible in a dialogue with the EU business community to assess the implications of the US decision.”

Dialogue with the US on energy and climate issues needs to continue. Other forms of cooperation will have to be found. Europe’s business community will continue to deliver sustainable and yet more cost-efficient business solutions – inside and outside Europe’s borders.