Kofi Annan, Christiana Figueres: The U.S. Will Lose Power

[DonViejo]

Kofi Annan,Christiana Figueres
11:07 AM ET

(Figueres was Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 2010–2016 and is the convener of Mission 2020 as well as Vice Chair for the Global Covenant of Mayors on Climate and Energy.)

On Thursday, President Trump announced his intention for the United States to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, the historic global climate pact accepted and signed by 195 countries that aims to keep global temperature rise "well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels."

For the U.S. to abandon the deal that it has worked so closely with so many to achieve, will have grave diplomatic consequences. The Paris Agreement, which was ratified with unprecedented speed, is one of the world’s greatest successes of multilateral diplomacy, a shining example of how nations can work together to combat an existential global threat. It will continue to be the world’s best chance to fend off global insecurity.

The impacts of President Trump’s retreat from international cooperation are already clear, as signaled by the remarkable frustration felt by world leaders at the G7 meetings in Italy last month, where the G6 nations all reaffirmed their commitments to the Paris Agreement and singled out the U.S. for failing to do so. The United States relies on venues like the G7, the G20, and NATO more than President Trump is currently prepared to acknowledge, and all of these alliances are deeply engaged on climate change. By walking away from Paris, the United States will lose considerable power in these fora, and throughout international relations, as the credibility and reliability of the United States is called into question.

The world’s largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases is now retreating further towards diplomatic isolation on this issue. Only two other countries—Syria and Nicaragua—have declined to sign onto the deal, so the U.S. will stand alone as a developed nation outside of the deal. The leaders of China and the European Union have immediately signed a joint statement to reconfirm their commitment to the Paris Agreement. Other nations are also standing firm and will reap the diplomatic benefits that come with such leadership.

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http://time.com/4804073/donald-trump-kofi-annan-christiana-figueres-paris-climate-change/?xid=homepage

[pangaia]

1. Come on guys..

This isn't about climate change, or anything else, other than the Russians destroying western democratic society.

Then they can pick up the pieces...

Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, Finland?...on and on..

$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and wishing for a big dick...

[Missn-Hitch]

2. +1

[AlexSFCA]

3. precisely

It has nothing to do with whether one believes in climate change (it's not a religion). This is the beginning of a new geopolitical landscape per Dugin. Regardless of findings of the russian probe, trump is presenting putin as a key ally and not an adversarial power. That means it's ok to collude with an ally - he calls it collaboration. This is what we are dealing with. All in the name if "safety" and 'war on terrorism'.