Trump will make ‘big decision’ on 2015 Paris climate change deal in two weeks
Trump vows again ‘it’s going to be America first’
US President Donald Trump said he would soon make a “big decision” on the Paris climate change agreement amid fears that he could make good his promise to pull out of the landmark 2015 pact.
Trump’s administration has been split on the climate agreement, with Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt and top strategist Steve Bannon pushing for a pullout while White House adviser Jared Kushner and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson advocate sticking with the deal.
Those who advocate staying in suggest that the administration can scale back the amount of foreign climate assistance the United States has pledged to provide under the deal, and push countries such as China and India to commit to deeper emissions reductions. Opponents argue that strategy is unrealistic.
Trump described the Paris agreement as “one-sided” and said the US paid “billions” toward the deal while countries such as China, Russia and India paid “nothing”.
“We are not going to let other countries take advantage of us anymore,” Trump said, speaking about international agreements generally.
