Home | WebMail | Register or Login

      Calgary | Regions | Local Traffic Report | Advertise on Action News | Contact

Posted: 2017-05-31T12:01:40Z | Updated: 2017-05-31T16:44:55Z

President Donald Trump plans to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change , multiple outlets reported Wednesday. This would make the United States one of just three countries outside the historic pact to reduce planet-warming emissions.

Trump pledged during his campaign to cancel the deal, but delayed a decision for months amid a split in the administration on the issue. But in recent weeks, the camp opposing the accord seems to have convinced the president to abandon it despite few political advantages and harsh economic and diplomatic consequences.

Trump tweeted Wednesday morning that he will make an official announcement on the Paris agreement over the next few days:

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

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Donald J. Trump","author_url":"https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump","cache_age":86400,"description":"I will be announcing my decision on the Paris Accord over the next few days. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Donald J. Trump on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/869903459511918592","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"592dae29e4b0c0608e8bb885","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/trump-paris-agreement_n_592dae29e4b0c0608e8bb885","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,international-news,republican-politics,climate-change,sustainability,energy,coal,pollution,energy-efficiency,paris-agreement,@health_depression,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"green,theworldpost","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/7c8f66d4-5dda-4e67-9d43-d011fc503773/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":13},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"592dae29e4b0c0608e8bb885","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/donald-trump","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump"},"relegenceId":2789214,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/donald-trump"},{"name":"International News","slug":"international-news","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/international-news","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/international-news","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/international-news"},"relegenceSubjectId":980522,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"International News","slug":"international-news","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/international-news"},{"name":"Republican Politics","slug":"republican-politics","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/republican-politics","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/republican-politics","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/republican-politics"},"relegenceSubjectId":4944927,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Republican Party","slug":"republican-party","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/republican-party"},{"name":"Climate Change","slug":"climate-change","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/climate-change","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/climate-change","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/climate-change"},"relegenceSubjectId":978658,"department":{"name":"Impact","slug":"impact"},"section":{"title":"Environment","slug":"green"},"topic":{"title":"Environmental Policy","slug":"environmental-policy","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/impact/topic/environmental-policy"},{"name":"Sustainability","slug":"sustainability","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/sustainability","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/sustainability","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/sustainability"},"relegenceSubjectId":983348,"department":{"name":"Impact","slug":"impact"},"section":{"title":"Business","slug":"business"},"topic":{"title":"Sustainability","slug":"sustainability","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/impact/topic/sustainability"},{"name":"Energy","slug":"energy","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/energy","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/energy","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/energy"},"relegenceSubjectId":979407,"department":{"name":"Impact","slug":"impact"},"section":{"title":"Environment","slug":"green"},"topic":{"title":"Environmental Policy","slug":"environmental-policy","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/impact/topic/environmental-policy"},{"name":"Coal","slug":"coal","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/coal","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/coal","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/coal"},"relegenceSubjectId":4944917,"department":{"name":"Impact","slug":"impact"},"section":{"title":"Environment","slug":"green"},"topic":{"title":"Coal","slug":"coal","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/impact/topic/coal"},{"name":"Pollution","slug":"pollution","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/pollution","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/pollution","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/pollution"},"relegenceSubjectId":982069,"department":{"name":"Impact","slug":"impact"},"section":{"title":"Environment","slug":"green"},"topic":{"title":"Pollution","slug":"pollution","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/impact/topic/pollution"},{"name":"energy efficiency","slug":"energy-efficiency","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/energy-efficiency","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/energy-efficiency","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/energy-efficiency"},"relegenceSubjectId":979408,"department":{"name":"Impact","slug":"impact"},"section":{"title":"Environment","slug":"green"},"topic":{"title":"Environmental Policy","slug":"environmental-policy","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/impact/topic/environmental-policy"},{"name":"paris agreement","slug":"paris-agreement","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/paris-agreement","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/paris-agreement","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/paris-agreement"},"relegenceId":4102429,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"France","slug":"france","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/france"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["
\r\n\r\n","
\r\n\r\n","
\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

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

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017

In exiting the deal, Trump would have the support of the 22 Republican senators who last week wrote him a letter urging him to do so. But he would also face rebuke from many members of the business and environmental communities who have said the agreement offers an opportunity for global cooperation and consistent climate policies.

Under the terms of the deal, the U.S. cannot officially withdraw until November 2019. But even an announcement that the country is looking to leave the deal shows that the White House has no plans to meet earlier targets for slashing greenhouse gas emissions.

That much was already clear. In March, Trump ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to review the Clean Power Plan a sweeping regulation passed by former President Barack Obama to limit emissions from the utility sector, by far the countrys biggest emitter. The policy was already stayed by the Supreme Court in February 2016 as a result of a lawsuit filed by former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, who is now Trumps head of the EPA. Without the Clean Power Plan, the U.S. wouldnt even come close to meeting its goals laid out in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

Trump vowed to jumpstart the U.S. economy by eliminating environmental regulations he blamed for holding back companies. In particular, he positioned himself as a staunch advocate for fossil fuels, nixing climate change funding from his proposed budget and scrapping rules that discourage pollution and boost renewable energy. But, somewhat ironically, major oil, gas and coal companies along with a plethora of other big corporations urged Trump to keep the U.S. in the Paris Agreement.

Environmental groups have little legal recourse given that the Obama administration bypassed the Senate to ratify the deal, arguing it did not constitute a treaty. But the Trump administration is still required to regulate carbon dioxide emissions as a public health threat under a 2007 Supreme Court ruling . How it plans to fulfill that legal responsibility that is unclear.