Thread: For President Trump, Pulling Out Of Paris Is The Only Logical Move

For President Trump, Pulling Out Of Paris Is The Only Logical Move

David Blackmon, Contributor
May 28, 2017 @ 10:55 AM 2,791

Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

Jonathan Swain and Amy Harder at Axios reported on Sunday morning that President Donald Trump has told "confidants" that he has made the decision to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Accords, and will make an announcement soon, most likely this coming week. This report will certainly produce a major backlash from the anti-fossil fuel lobby in the U.S. and globally, which correctly views the commitments made by former President Barack Obama under this executive agreement as the main driving force for increasingly restrictive regulations of the U.S. fossil fuel industries.

But this report, if true, should surprise no one after the President was the only G7 leader who refrained from endorsing the Paris Accords on Saturday, a move that came after one of his advisers had told the media that Mr. Trump's views related to Paris were "evolving." This statement was taken by many Paris supporters as an indication that the President might be moving towards changing his mind and keeping the U.S. in the agreement after all.

Such hope by Paris supporters has always seemed like a pipe dream, though, since the Obama commitments within the Paris accord stand in direct opposition to the commitments made by candidate Trump during the 2016 campaign, as well as the energy policy-related actions taken by President Trump since assuming office.

During his campaign, Candidate Trump made pledges to pull the U.S. out of two Obama-era executive agreements - Paris and Iran - centerpieces of his daily stump speech. At every campaign stop, every fundraising event, every one of the campaign rallies before audiences of thousands of people, Donald Trump overtly promised to end U.S. involvement in both of those agreements, which he regularly referred to as "terrible deals" made by "stupid" people. Indeed, this was the overarching theme of his entire campaign - that he is a superior negotiator who would be able to negotiate better deals than these for the country.

Any expectation that he would now, after being pressured by his European peers, suddenly decide that Paris is a fine "deal" that the U.S. can now live under seems overly optimistic, to say the least. It would comparable to Sherlock Holmes, after years of demonizing Dr. Moriarty as the worst villain on the face of the earth, suddenly deciding he's a really cool guy with whom he'd love to have a few beers.

Then there is the reality that, as President, Mr. Trump has already issued a series of executive orders and signed Congressional Review Act resolutions that either reverse outright or order the EPA and Department of Interior (DOI) to rescind or rewrite a raft of Obama-era regulations and executive decisions for which the commitments in the Paris Accords serve as the main underpinnings.

The Clean Power Plan, the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) venting and flaring regulation, EPA's methane regulations and stricter ozone standard, higher gas mileage requirements for auto makers, the Council of Environmental Quality's (CEQ) "social cost of carbon and methane" construct, the presidential directive to all agencies to consider climate change implications in all permitting, planning and leasing decisions - all of these Obama-era actions and more were considered to be key elements of U.S. efforts to meet commitments Mr. Obama made under the Paris agreement. All of these elements have either been eliminated or are in the process of being re-written under directives issued by President Trump.

Given all of these promises made and actions taken by Mr. Trump, pulling the U.S. out of the Paris agreement is the only logical next step to be taken. As with such a major portion of the Obama legacy, because he chose to commit the country to the accords via executive fiat, his successor in office can end the country's involvement in it in the very same way.

Or, if President Trump decides he'd like to deflect responsibility for the decision, he could also decide to do what Mr. Obama should have done in the proper discharge of his duties: He could submit the Paris deal to the U.S. Senate for ratification as a treaty, where a 2/3rds vote would be required . Doing this would still achieve the President's desired result, since there is literally no way the Senate would vote to ratify, and have the positive result of subjecting an agreement with such far-reaching implications for America's economy and society to the appropriate process.

Either way he decides to do it, taking the country out of the Paris accords is the only logical next step available for President Trump.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidbl.../#385db2d107d1

Yes, thank you. Pull out of the Agreement. It wasn't right for US when Obama agreed to it. It's not right for US now. It may never be, probably won't be, there's no use aligning with a plan that harms our economy, both businesses and workers. We want all energy forms on the table, while still implementing programs of our own that reduce emissions and clean-up pollution.

Trump likely to withdraw US from Paris climate accord, senior WH official says

By Jonathan Karl
May 31, 2017, 8:07 AM ET

President Trump is likely to drop out of the Paris climate accord, according to a senior White House official.

Although the official cautions no decision is final until the president announces it, the White House is now working on how to roll out and explain the reasons behind that announcement.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump...ry?id=47741792

Fox News just announced a few seconds ago that they have now confirmed with 2 sources, Trump is pulling out of the Paris Accord.

Hope it's all true. Thank you.

Wed May 31, 2017 8:43 am

Trump pulling U.S. out of Paris climate deal: Axios report

U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to withdraw from the Paris climate accord, Axios news outlet reported on Wednesday, citing two unidentified sources with direct knowledge of the decision.

Trump, who has previously called global warming a hoax, refused to endorse the landmark climate change accord at a summit of the G7 group of wealthy nations on Saturday, saying he needed more time to decide. He then tweeted that he would make an announcement this week.

Fox News also cited an unidentified source confirming the pullout.

The decision will put the United States in league with Syria and Nicaragua as the world's only non-participants in the Paris Climate Agreement. It could have sweeping implications for the deal, which relies heavily on the commitment of big polluter nations to reduce emissions of gases scientists blame for sea level rise, droughts and more frequent violent storms.

The accord, agreed on by nearly 200 countries in Paris in 2015, aims to limit planetary warming in part by slashing carbon dioxide and other emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. Under the pact, the United States committed to reducing its emissions by 26 to 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025.

Axios said details of the pullout are being worked out by a team that includes EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. The choice is between a formal withdrawal that could take three years or leaving the U.N. treaty that the accord is based on, which would be quicker but more extreme, according to Axios.

The decision to withdraw from the climate accord was influenced by a letter from 22 Republican U.S. senators, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, calling for an exit, Axios reported.

Former President Barack Obama, who helped broker the accord, praised the accord during a trip to Europe this month.

The United States is the world's second-biggest carbon dioxide emitter behind China.

Supporters of the climate pact are concerned that a U.S. exit could lead other nations to weaken their commitments or also withdraw, softening an accord that scientists have said is critical to avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.

Canada, the European Union, and China have said they will honor their commitments to the pact even if the United States withdraws. A source told Reuters that India had also indicated it would stick by the deal.

Trump had vowed during his campaign to "cancel" the Paris deal within 100 days of becoming president, as part of an effort to bolster U.S. oil and coal industries. That promise helped rally supporters sharing his skepticism of global efforts to police U.S. carbon emissions.

After taking office, however, Trump faced pressure to stay in the deal from investors, international powers and business leaders, including some in the coal industry. He also had to navigate a split among his advisers on the issue.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Nick Zieminski)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...-idUSKBN18R1J4

Trump expected to pull out of Paris Climate Agreement
Published May 31, 2017
Fox News

Now Playing

Scott Pruitt outlines problems with Paris climate agreement

President Trump is expected to soon announce he is pulling the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement, two sources told Fox News.

A very senior administration official cautioned that Trump had not yet made a final decision and continued to weigh his options.

"I will be announcing my decision on the Paris Accord over the next few days. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump tweeted Wednesday morning.

The accord, agreed to by the Obama administration along with almost 200 other countries in 2015, would have forced the U.S. to reduce fossil fuel emissions by nearly 30 percent by 2025.

During Trump’s overseas trip last week, European leaders pressed him to keep the U.S. in the landmark agreement.

Trump promised during his presidential campaign to pull the U.S. out of the deal.

In a possible jab at the likely U.S. pullout, the United Nations tweeted on Wednesday a quote from Secretary General Antonio Guterres: "Climate change is undeniable. Climate action is unstoppable. Climate solutions provide opportunities that are unmatchable."

Word of Trump's decision comes a day after the president met with Scott Pruitt, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Like his boss, Pruitt has questioned climate scientists who claim the Earth is warming and that man-made climate emissions are to blame.

Since taking office, Trump and Pruitt have moved to delay or roll back federal regulations limiting greenhouse gas emissions while pledging to revive the long-struggling U.S. coal mines.

What is not yet clear is whether Trump plans to initiate a formal withdrawal from the Paris accord, which under the terms of the agreement could take three years, or exit the underlying U.N. climate change treaty on which the accord was based.

The U.S. is the world's second largest emitter of carbon, following only China. Beijing, however, has reaffirmed its commitment to meeting its targets under the Paris accord, recently canceling construction of about 100 coal-fired power plants and investing billions in massive wind and solar projects.

Fox News’ John Roberts and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017...agreement.html

Mr. President, make the announcement today, you do not need to hold up on this waiting for "caveats" or details. Just end it, and get out. Americans don't care about the details, they just want to know that we are no longer bound by this nonsense that hurts our economy, our workers and our taxpayers. Sure, you can continue the commitment to protect our environment as Americans have done since 1970, since Americans were the ones to lead the charge on environmental protection to begin with, we will continue to work on our issues using better expenditures of funds to obtain faster results on clean-up as well as continue our commitment to reducing air emissions of all kinds, but not picking winners and losers as the Paris Accord requires.

Very simple. If you look at charts showing CO2 emission reductions, we are virtually a straight-line reduction since 1970 decades before this stupid Paris Accord.

Obama didn't have the authority to sign this stupid agreement, so you have the authority to withdraw from what I believe is an illegal agreement to begin with.

Trump pulls out of Paris climate deal and does something right (and brave)

By Erick Erickson
Published May 31, 2017
Fox News

From the Middle East to NATO to the G7, analysis from the 'Special Report' All-Star panel

Editor's note: The following column originally appeared on The Resurgent website.

It is not very brave these days to stand up and denounce President Trump. Hollywood and the media will turn you into a hero. But it is a brave thing to stand up to the zeitgeist and culture of fear and bullying the left and media have instilled on the issue of climate change. But President Trump is doing just that. He is defying the left, the media, his children, and many world leaders.

In short, he is leading. President Trump is withdrawing the United States from the Paris Climate Accord.

It is the right decision for a number of reasons.

First, the Paris Accord is being treated by many as a treaty with treaty obligations, but President Obama never submitted it to Congress for passage.

Second, though President Trump could have left it in place and done nothing, his successor could have easily revived it if left in place.

Third, the structure and implementation of the Paris Accord set a terrible precedent. President Obama worked for what amounts to a global agreement with voluntary measures, but those measures would impact the American economy. But, despite that impact, President Obama did not present the Paris Accord to Congress for ratification or debate.

I do believe the climate is changing. I do believe humans play some role in it. But I also think the certainty with which much of the left clings regarding climate change is more by faith than fact. For years the left has preached climate doom and gloom and they have never been right. They have warned of global cooling and now of global warming.

Their only solution in all cases is a command and control economy. Many of them have started profiting from the scare tactics of climate change and others have financial investments that would profit from carbon trading and other schemes. They drive around in SUV’s and fly private planes while telling the rest of us to cut back. For a group of people convinced we’re all going to die, they sure don’t act like they really believe it.

I simply do not think climate change is an issue worth caring much about and trust that humanity will find ways to adapt to a climate that would change whether or not we were on the planet.

But fundamentally, regardless of my views, I think any President of any party trying to bind this nation to a global agreement that will deeply affect our economy must do so only with the consent of the Senate through its constitutional obligation to approve treaties.

Erick Erickson is a Fox News contributor. He is host of "Atlanta's Evening News" and founder/editor of The Resurgent. He is the founder of RedState.com. Follow him on Twitter @EWErickson.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/...and-brave.html

I hope this is all true. I guess we'll know soon.

Paris climate deal: EU and China rebuff Trump

By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent

43 minutes ago
May 31, 2017

Chinese and EU leaders are to agree a joint statement on the Paris climate agreement saying it is "an imperative more important than ever".

A draft of the document, seen by the BBC, stresses the "highest political commitment" to implement the deal.

It will be widely seen as a rebuff to the US, as President Trump deliberates on withdrawal from the accord.

The joint statement will be published on Friday after a summit in Brussels.

For more than a year, Chinese and EU officials have been working behind the scenes to agree a joint statement on climate change and clean energy.

The document highlights the dangers posed by rising temperatures, "as a national security issue and multiplying factor of social and political fragility," while pointing out that the transition to clean energy creates jobs and economic growth.

"The EU and China consider the Paris agreement as an historic achievement further accelerating the irreversible global low greenhouse gas emission and climate resilient development," the draft document says.

"The Paris Agreement is proof that with shared political will and mutual trust, multilateralism can succeed in building fair and effective solutions to the most critical global problems of our time. The EU and China underline their highest political commitment to the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement in all its aspects."

What is climate change?

Climate deal is essential, says UN chief

Both sides say they will step up action to and "forge ahead with further policies and measures" to implement their national plans on cutting carbon. Significantly, both the EU and China agree that they will outline their long term low carbon strategies by 2020.

The document outlines other areas of co-operation including on the development and linking of carbon markets. There will also be bilateral work on energy labelling, energy performance standards and the performance standards of buildings.

"The EU and China are joining forces to forge ahead on the implementation of the Paris agreement and accelerate the global transition to clean energy," said EU climate commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete.

"No one should be left behind, but the EU and China have decided to move forward."

Why does Trump want to leave climate deal?
What was agreed in Paris?

Climate change, or global warming, refers to the damaging effect of gases, or emissions, released from industry and agriculture on the atmosphere.

The Paris accord is meant to limit the global rise in temperature attributed to emissions.

Countries agreed to:

Keep global temperatures "well below" the level of 2C (3.6F) above pre-industrial times and "endeavour to limit" them even more, to 1.5C

Limit the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by human activity to the same levels that trees, soil and oceans can absorb naturally, beginning at some point between 2050 and 2100

Review each country's contribution to cutting emissions every five years so they scale up to the challenge

Enable rich countries to help poorer nations by providing "climate finance" to adapt to climate change and switch to renewable energy

To date, 147 out of the 197 countries have ratified the accord, including the US, where the accord entered into force last November.

Exxon shareholders back 'historic' vote on climate

Antarctic ice crack takes major turn

The increased co-operation between the EU and China comes as reports indicate a further cooling in the US towards the Paris accord.

Several sources, quoted by US media, suggest that President Trump is set to pull out. The President himself tweeted enigmatically that he would announce his decision over the next few days.

This comes after the President failed to find common ground with other global leaders at G7 summit in Taormina, Sicily. In the wake of that meeting, German Chancellor Angela Merkel vented her frustration with the US position.

"The entire discussion about climate was very difficult, if not to say very dissatisfying," she told reporters.

"There are no indications whether the United States will stay in the Paris Agreement or not."
Media captionCalifornia to 'work with China' on climate

The new move by the EU and China was warmly welcomed by environmental campaigners, rattled by the prospect of the world's second largest emitter of carbon pulling out of the globally supported agreement.

"If US-China climate cooperation gave birth to the Paris Agreement, now it is up to EU and China to defend and enhance it," said Li Shuo, from Greenpeace.

"The pair has the potential to become the new driver for international climate diplomacy."

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-40106281

Sure that's fine. It's good for the EU and China to have good relations. If they like the Paris Accord, they can stay in it. Americans don't want to be part of this right now. We have a beleaguered country to fix and many enemies and forces against US, primarily those building up their own economies at our expense which we can not afford to underwrite. We need freedom here in America, not global pacts picking winners and losers at someone else's expense, which in the clear cases of the Paris Accord, means ours.

Pull out, Mr. President. JUST DO IT. End this now. No looking back, no regrets. Americans will decide on our own terms how we protect our environment.