European leaders react to Trump, defend Paris Climate Agreement: 'Our door will remain open to the US'

12punto FOREIGN NEWS

On the second day of the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, there were sharp reactions to US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.

European leaders stated that they would remain committed to the global climate agreement and continue to be a part of it.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made a statement in Davos today (January 21), announcing their commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement.

The Paris Climate Agreement was signed in 2015 to combat the global environmental crisis. The goal of the agreement was to prevent global temperatures from rising by controlling the carbon emission rates of signatory countries.

'EUROPE WILL STAY THE COURSE'

The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to '1.5 degrees' in the long term, and to keep temperatures at least below '2 degrees' where that is not possible.

Making statements regarding the future of the Climate Agreement, Von der Leyen expressed the following:

'Europe will stay the course and continue to work with all nations that want to protect nature and stop global warming.'

The European Commission President insisted that the 27-nation bloc would remain loyal to the groundbreaking Paris climate agreement, stating, 'The Paris Agreement remains the best hope for all of humanity.'

Re-elected as European Commission President last year, Von der Leyen had promised that the EU would continue to fight the climate crisis.

PROTEST BY CLIMATE ACTIVISTS

Minutes before Von der Leyen's speech, climate activists staged a surprise and rare protest inside the normally highly secure venue, unfurling a banner that read, 'Tax the super-rich! Finance a fair and green future.'

Meanwhile, United Nations (UN) climate chief Simon Stiell, speaking at a panel in Davos regarding the climate talks to be held in Brazil this year, stated that 'the door remains open for the US.'

In his statement, Stiell noted the following:

'The world is going through an unstoppable energy transition. Just last year, more than 2 trillion dollars were invested in the transition (clean energy transition). And this is comparable to the one trillion dollars spent on fossil fuels.'

Stiell highlighted that there is currently a 'crisis fatigue' in the world, and expressed the following:

''In the poly-crisis environment we have been in for the last few years, the climate crisis has been pushed down the list of priorities. However, regardless of political changes, the 'science behind the climate' has not changed. However, the effects of the climate crisis have changed; they are getting worse.''

United Nations (UN) climate chief Simon Stiell