South Africa laments US withdrawal from Paris Agreement.

By Lehlohonolo Lehana.

South Africa has expressed disappointment over the U.S. decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, said Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dion George on Thursday.

This came after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday announcing the country’s intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.

George said the withdrawal is an abdication of the global responsibility that damages multilateralism, international law, and trust between nations.

“The Paris Agreement represents the most flexible and dynamic approach to addressing climate change. All countries have a common responsibility to act, with varied capabilities under the Paris Agreement,” said the minister.

He said the United States, which has contributed significantly to global warming and the climate crisis affecting the world, has a moral obligation to lead in reducing emissions and support developing economies in contributing to the global effort.

“We recall the substantial contribution that previous U.S. administrations have made to facilitate South Africa in addressing climate change, including the recent support to South Africa’s just energy transition partnership,” the minister said, calling on the current U.S. administration to take its commitments under international law seriously, and carefully consider the ramifications of its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.

George reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to realizing the goals set out in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement while expressing hope that the global community will continue tackling climate change with the urgency it deserves.

World Reaction

Simon Stell, U.N. climate change executive secretary

“Embracing (the global clean energy boom) will mean massive profits, millions of manufacturing jobs and clean air. Ignoring it only sends all that vast wealth to competitor economies, while climate disasters like droughts, wildfires and superstorms keep getting worse, destroying property and businesses, hitting nation-wide food production, and driving economy-wide price inflation.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning

“China is concerned about the U.S. announcement that it will withdraw from the Paris Agreement. Climate change is a common challenge facing all of humanity. No country can stay out of it, and no country can be immune to it.”

Brazil’s environment minister Marina Silva

“President Donald Trump in his inaugural speech started to confirm the most pessimistic predictions about the challenging times to come. His first announcements go against backing the energy transition, combating climate change, and valuing renewable energy.

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