The members of the Paris Agreement call for unity to combat climate change

With the United States officially left out of the Paris Agreement on Wednesday; China, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change issued a joint statement calling for global unity to reduce the effects of global warming.

The statement recalls the responsibility to protect the planet and its inhabitants from the threat posed by climate change.

“Today’s science is clear. We must urgently step up action and work together to reduce the effects of global warming and thus ensure a greener and more resilient future for the whole world,” says the dispatch that also recalls that the framework to achieve this goal is the Paris Agreement.

Similarly, the signatories recalled the need to give solid support to countries and communities “that are on the front line that will suffer the effects of climate change”, as well as to “keep the temperature increase well below 2 degrees Celsius” and to act to limit warming to 1.5 degrees with respect to pre-industrial levels.

A little more than a month before the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement – on December 12 – the participants in the declaration “observed with regret” the US withdrawal that took effect today.

“As we look ahead to COP26 (Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) in Glasgow, we remain committed to working with all U.S. stakeholders and partners around the world to accelerate climate action, and with all signatories to ensure full implementation of the Paris Agreement.” finalizes the document.

US: Agreement is an “unfair” economic burden

In November of last year, the United States government issued a statement confirming the beginning of the process to withdraw from the Paris Agreement by the North American nation.

Under the terms of the treaty, the United States officially notified its withdrawal to the United Nations, which becomes effective one year after the notice is served.

The decision to withdraw from the Agreement is due, according to US President Donald Trump’s statements on June 1, 2017, “to the unfair economic burden imposed on American workers, businesses and taxpayers by virtue of the contributions made by the United States under the Agreement.”

Source: UN News