US IRRESPONSIBLE TO PULL OUT OF PARIS DEAL- KELLY

02 June 2017

Labour TD Alan Kelly has described the US decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord as ‘wrong and irresponsible’.

Deputy Kelly, who led the Paris negotiations for Ireland as Minister for the Environment in 2015, commented:

“This announcement from President Trump last night is not only depressing, but completely irresponsible.

“As one of the largest carbon emitters in history, the US has a responsibility to play its part in tackling the effects of climate change, and it is goes against all reason that America would not be signed up to such an important and historic deal.

“Signing the Paris Accord on behalf of the Irish nation in April 2016 was one of the proudest days of my career. The deal was about saving our planet and is above domestic politics.

“Labour in Government ensured that the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act was passed into law and as my colleague our spokesperson on Climate Change Seán Sherlock has highlighted, we must honour our own commitments on climate change.

“We have heard individual American mayors and business leaders pledge to continue honouring the Paris commitments, which is to be welcomed.

“I also welcome the news that the EU and China will continue to forge efforts to reduce carbon emissions, but it is a sad day when the US forfeits its leadership of the free world.

“It’s time to make our planet great again and Ireland will play its part.”

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