US could be left behind if it pulls out of Paris Agreement: Obama govt

This included a number of initiatives in, or in partnership with, India, like the launch of US-India Clean Energy Finance facility that had been agreed on a few months ago, support for a $75 million renewable energy project in Telangana, and funding of a programme to accelerate deployment of energy-efficient appliances in 1,000 villages in India.

And in its first public statements at the climate change conference here, the Obama administration seemed to warn its successor government that the US could be in danger of being left behind if it moved out of the global climate arrangement. US Special Envoy on Climate Change, Jonathan Persing, said the change of guard in Washington in January was unlikely to derail the momentum that had been built on the fight against climate change since the finalisation of the Paris Agreement last year.

“It was a global effort that made the (Paris) agreement possible… Heads of states can and will change, but I am confident that we can and we will sustain a durable international effort to counter climate change,” Pershing said.

He said other countries would continue on their chosen sustainable development pathways irrespective of what the new government decided.

“China intends to move forward. It doesn’t surprise me, frankly. The deal, the (Paris) agreement was struck on the basis of national circumstances, and agreements by nations are about activities in their own interests. Of course, they (other countries) are going to move forward. These are things that they will do because they are part of their development trajectory. I am hearing the same from the Europeans, Brazilians, Mexicans and other smaller countries like Costa Rica which I have spoken to. I don’t think the US (government) change is going to affect the development pathways of others,” Pershing said.

The victory of Trump has brought huge uncertainties over the international climate change framework that is being prepared following the Paris Agreement. Trump, during his campaign, had described climate change as a “hoax” and promised to withdraw from the Paris Agreement if elected. The US ratified the Paris Agreement in September.

Pershing said the current administration was still to hold consultations with the transition team of the incoming presidency and as such did not have a clear idea of its international climate policy yet. He said it was possible that Trump might not withdraw from the Paris Agreement.

“It is premature to speculate. The new administration may look at the commitment globally, at the interest globally in this issues, and decide how it can move forward in ways that are consistent with its own policies. We have to wait and see,” he said.

The election has hijacked the agenda at the Marrakesh meeting, where negotiators were to decide on rules to implement the Paris Agreement. The pace of negotiations has been slow. From Tuesday, ministers from over 100 countries will begin discussions on the final outcome of this meeting. US Secretary of State John Kerry will attend the meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday.