Trump tells G-20 world leaders that Paris climate accord was ‘designed to kill the American economy’

President Trump blasted the Paris climate accord, which President-elect Joe Biden has vowed to rejoin, in a video statement to the Group of 20 (G-20) summit Sunday.

“To protect American workers, I withdrew the United States from the unfair and one-sided Paris climate accord, a very unfair act for the United States,” Trump told the summit, according to The Associated Press.

The president went on to claim the agreement was “not designed to save the environment. It was designed to kill the American economy.”

Trump noted that the U.S. has led the world in reducing carbon emissions since he exited the accord. However, the AP noted, the U.S. has made far less progress in reducing its emission by percentage. The U.S. formally left the agreement on Nov. 4.

During the G-20’s climate session, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on the group to lead on climate issues and fully implement the accord.

“Not long ago, I announced China’s initiative to scale up its nationally determined contributions and strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060,” Xi said, according to the AP. “China will honor its commitment and see the implementation through.” China is the worldwide leader for overall emissions.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on international cooperation on the issue, saying a varied, nation-by-nation approach would not be effective.

“Climate change must be fought not in silos but in an integrated, comprehensive and holistic way,” Modi said, according to the AP.

Biden reportedly plans to reverse several Trump policies immediately upon taking office, including Trump’s withdrawal from the accord, a travel ban on several majority-Muslim nations and a ban on trans people serving in the military.

“While we’re waiting for the final results, I want people to know we are not waiting to get the work done,” Biden said in remarks in Wilmington, Del., earlier this month shortly after he was projected president-elect.