Fears a US presidency under Donald Trump could derail efforts to tackle global warming are overblown, France’s climate ambassador said on Thursday.
Speaking to media at the end of two weeks of UN climate talks in Bonn, Laurence Tubiana said most governments felt “quite calm” over the prospects of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
None had mooted the idea of ensuring it formally enters into force ahead of the US presidential elections, which will be declared during this year’s UN climate summit in Marrakech, Morocco.
“There’s a vision of what we have to do. It was based on national decisions. Of course we want the US on board but it will not derail the orientation different countries have taken,” she said.
The Paris Agreement
To come into force 55 countries covering 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions must ratify the deal.
So far 38 countries have ratified. The US and China say they plan to do this by the end of 2016, which would take the emissions total to well above 40% (Source: WRI)
Reports from the US suggest Trump has now secured the 1,237 candidates he needs to secure nomination as Republican presidential candidate.
Previously he has claimed global warming was a Chinese hoax, although a report in Politico revealed his organisation is concerned rising sea levels could eat one of its Irish golf courses.
The New York billionaire is set to unveil his climate and energy strategy on Thursday in a speech at Bismark, North Dakota, a heartland of the US fracking industry.
Last week he told Reuters as president he would renegotiate the Paris Agreement, a pledge the UN’s outgoing Christiana Figueres dismissed in an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday.
“You’d have to get 195 other countries back… with a willingness to renegotiate and from someone who was involved the first time, I can only say, good luck with that,” she said.