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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
Obama has responded to the Paris withdrawal.
Obama slams Trump for leaving Paris climate agreement
Note: Kerry has blasted Trump, too.
Despite Trump frequently criticizing him on Twitter and in public, Obama has only spoken out directly against his successor’s agenda on a few occasions, such as to argue against repeal of the Affordable Care Act, his 2010 health care reform law.
The 2015 agreement signed by 195 countries seeks to decrease carbon emissions and combat climate change. Only two other countries, Syria and Nicaragua, are not part of the agreement.
John Kerry, who was Obama’s secretary of state when the Paris accord was negotiated, also released a blistering statement Thursday, accusing Trump of turning his back on “humanity’s most existential crisis” and describing the move as possibly “the most self-defeating action in American history.”
“The President who promised ‘America First’ has taken a self-destructive step that puts our nation last,” Kerry said. “This is an unprecedented forfeiture of American leadership which will cost us influence, cost us jobs, and invite other countries to walk away from solving humanity’s most existential crisis.”
“For our economy, security, leadership, competitiveness, and health, the clear-cut choice was to remain in the Paris Agreement,” Kerry added. “There is only one reason to instead make this choice: an ignorant, cynical appeal to an anti-science, special-interest faction far outside the mainstream. That is no basis for a decision that will affect billions of lives.”
Dump Stat
Just adding my two cents, the Paris Accords seem to be ineffective at accomplishing their stated goal. There aren't any meaningful penalties for failing to meet emissions standards or alternative energy milestones, and there don't seem to be any meaningful incentives for countries to meet these goals aside from implied environmental benefits. The USA can continue to increase its use of solar, wind, nuclear fission, natural gas, and geothermal without having to pay billions of dollars a year to remain a part of the Accords. It's also worth noting that the rest of the world already thought the US is dumb and has held that attitude for the better part of 50 years. So really, I don't think we're losing anything.
edited 1st Jun '17 2:19:01 PM by ctrl_alt_deliiiight
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![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
Even if it is ineffectual that doesn't mean that Trump leaving it is anything other than disastrous. Furthermore Trump is doing very real damage to world wide opinion of the US so no this is not a continuation of the norm, Obama made great progress in improving our image.
A procrastination in of itself
No, no the rest of the world didn't, it's starting to now, but that's entirely because of Trump and Bush junior.
Also it's one thing to be regarded as dumb, it's another to be considered an active threat to all of humanity.
edited 1st Jun '17 2:21:04 PM by Silasw
"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
The only other countries not in the Paris Climate Accords are literally two third world countries, one also in North America (Nicaragua) and one in Asia/the Middle East (Syria). Nobody else will leave unless they enjoy being compared to 3rd World countries.
edited 1st Jun '17 2:22:03 PM by FireCrawler2002
A real bad hombre
The Weather Channel is going full snark. I love it.
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." -Thomas Edison
A procrastination in of itself
Its worth noting that one of the two (Nicaragua) isn't part of it because it feels that the environmental protections need to be stronger, while the other is stuck in the middle of a civil war.
No nation on the planet has chosen to stay out of the accords because they don't belive in climate change, in that respect the US is totally alone.
edited 1st Jun '17 2:24:29 PM by Silasw
"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
There is little in terms of enforcement in the agreement, but if many countries simultaneously move in the same direction, the others are more or less forced to follow.
Again, that is terrible reasoning, for multiple reasons. Stop reducing complicated situations to such simple extremes. Bad as this is, doing it doesn't suddenly make the United States Nicaragua or Syria.
That's a much more salient point.
edited 1st Jun '17 2:37:01 PM by LSBK
Out of curiosity, what is this in reference to? Are you thinking about the $3bn pledge (of which only $500m has been paid, and the agreement was that the pledge would only be paid on an 'as available' basis, anyway)
If my post doesn't mention a giant flying sperm whale with oversized teeth and lionfish fins for flippers, it just isn't worth reading.
A real bad hombre
Emmanuel Macron is live now with his reaction.
Macron says that he believes in the United States, but sends a warning that there is no Planet B, and says that any scientist, engineer, or enterpreneur who wants to work towards a solution can find a place in France. Says that France will be working with Italy and Germany to work on a plan
edited 1st Jun '17 2:42:05 PM by LinkToTheFuture
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." -Thomas Edison
My university will have to hurry, then. If France is already working to take the US's science personnel...
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
A procrastination in of itself
Germany, France and Italy have all issued statements saying the Trump will not be getting a new deal on climate change after throwing out the Paris Agreement.
There's no renegotiation, the US is going solo now.
"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
Good for them and us. Honestly, there is no point to negotiate anything before the US has cleaned its house...and I am not just talking about Trump. Trump is just a symptom, the problem runs way deeper.
I am honestly shocked that he is still in office. I am used to politicians being forced to resign for something as simple as a copied doctor thesis.
We used to can political aspirants over things like "potatoe" (Dan Quayle) and screaming loudly (Howard Dean)....
Asgore Adopts Noelle
I'd vote for him. Especially since he'd be running against Trump, and the Libertarians only have an Anarchist candidate so far, and I refuse to vote for an Anarchist...
Wow...Pittsburgh is really p... about the "Pittsburgh not Paris" line...well, they DID vote for Hillary.
It's more like he's doing it for Charleston than Pittsburgh.
Who is the Libertarian candidate? Because I highly doubt they're an actual anarchist.
It's been pretty much self-evident that the only reason Biden didn't run in 2016 was the tragic death of his son, which seems to have left the man in shambles, so he had no psychological condition to run.
He'll be rather old by 2020 but by this point I don't think anyone gives a shit.
"All you Fascists bound to lose."
Asgore Adopts Noelle
The only Libertarian Candidate announced so far (And, to be fair, it is 2017, the Never Ending Presidential Stream doesn't start until a year before the Election) is Adam Kokesh, who's platform includes the "orderly" abolition of the Federal Government. I'm a Libertarian myself (of the Arizona School), but even I know that we need a Federal Government. I could never vote for someone like Kokesh.
Untrustworthy
I mean, it'd be pretty impressive if the democrats manage to come up with a candidate who'd be worse than Trump, so the real question is 'what other democrats are running?'
"Canada Day is over, and now begins the endless dark of the Canada Night."
Biden has the guts and the gaffe permit to take on Trump. It would be glorious.
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
The only Libertarian Candidate announced so far (And, to be fair, it is 2017, the Never Ending Presidential Stream doesn't start until a year before the Election) is Adam Kokesh, who's platform includes the "orderly" abolition of the Federal Government. I'm a Libertarian myself (of the Arizona School), but even I know that we need a Federal Government. I could never vote for someone like Kokesh. . I'm not an Anarchist and no fan of them but let's not associate them with American Libertarians.
"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems"
-Hylarn
edited 1st Jun '17 2:14:06 PM by TrashJack