Rabuka Urges Trump to Reconsider Paris Climate Withdrawal

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has written to the Trump administration urging the United States to reconsider pulling out from the Paris Climate Agreement.

On the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders including the withdrawal of the U.S from the Paris climate agreement.

The Paris Agreement is a global climate change agreement that committed over 200 nations to cooperating to reduce global warming.

Minister for Environment and Climate Change Mosese Bulitavu told this masthead yesterday that Mr Rabuka has urged President Trump to reconsider his decision.

“That does not take away our fight as Small Island States because we are facing the full brunt of Climate Change,” Mr Bulitavu said.

“The U.S. is one of the biggest emitters and their decision to pull out because it’s wasting money and they want to serve their people better.

“Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has written to the U.S. government to reconsider its position.”

The Paris Agreement, also known as the Paris Climate Accord, was adopted by more than 190 nations at a United Nations Climate Summit in Paris in 2015 with the goal of keeping global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius, but ideally under 1.5 degrees.

“We are still going to encourage strengthening our diplomatic relationship with United States,” Mr Bulitavu said.

“The U.S has been a vital partner to the Pacific and not only Fiji.”

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