At a press conference from the White House, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced that the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris Agreement. Gino Van Begin, ICLEI Secretary General, has issued the following response:

“President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement is out of step with reality and the current drive towards a global low-carbon transition. Making abundant use of 'alternative facts', he has painted the US and its citizens as victims of this groundbreaking Accord.

"On the contrary, the Paris Agreement and its fulfillment are the best chance for the US and the world to create green jobs and save millions of lives and billions of dollars, avoiding the worst case scenarios of climate inaction.

"Climate action is not going to stop. Local governments, in the U.S. and globally, will keep moving forward on clean energy, sustainable transport and resilience, as most countries have again pledged to do, from the most vulnerable to major emitters.

"A heavy burden falls now on the shoulders of local governments in the U.S. and all climate stakeholders worldwide, as the Trump administration fails to recognize the stark reality of climate change and the urgency of acting on it.

"It's now imperative for all levels of government and non-state actors to build even stronger and wider coalitions for rapid implementation, to keep the world on the right track.”

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