Macron rejects trade deals with countries outside of Paris climate pact

Greg Nash

French President Emmanuel Macron told the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday that his country will begin to make trade agreements contingent on membership in the Paris climate pact.

{mosads}“We will no longer sign commercial agreements with powers that do not respect the Paris accord,” he told the assembly.

Although Macron did not mention the United States, the remarks were seen as a shot at the country. The U.S. is the only country that is not part of the agreement after President Trump withdrew in June 2017.

Leaving the Paris deal, which Trump has called “very unfair at the highest level to the United States,” was one of his key campaign promises.

According to a report released earlier this month, the U.S. will fall about one-third short of the climate targets stipulated in the original deal.

Trump has been quick to roll back former President Obama’s aggressive climate efforts, including pollution rules on coal-fired power plants. Last week, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management released a final rule to weaken methane pollution rules for drillers. 

Despite the federal government, cities and states are working on their own to meet Paris agreement emission reduction targets. The report found the U.S. has the potential to reach 90 percent of its targets through state and city action.

California recently passed a bill to set a target of 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2045. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) announced $4 billion worth of investments into clean energy earlier this month.

Tags Donald Trump France Paris climate agreement Trade deal

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