Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 13 June 2017
US opts out of G7 pledge committing to Paris climate accord

says that the accord is “the
global instrument for effec-
tively and urgently tack-
ling climate change and
adapting to its effects.”
It says the six G-7 nations
— Canada, France, Ger-
many, Italy, Japan and the
United Kingdom, as well as
the European Commission
— agree that the Paris ac-
cord is “irreversible and its
full integrity is key for the
security and prosperity of
our planet, societies and
economies.”While voicing
dismay at the U.S. position,
which was expected, envi-
ronmental groups and con-
cerned countries voiced
Grass covers the round table where environment ministers sit at the opening of a two-day G7 summit on the environment, in Bolo- optimism that the remain-
gna, Italy, Sunday, June 11, 2017.
(Giorgio Benvenuti/ANSA via AP) ing six nations reaffirmed
the Paris process and that
By PAOLO SANTALUCIA with our domestic priorities, cluded,” he said. sovereignty.” He has said the U.S. withdrawal had led
NICOLE WINFIELD preserving both a strong The 2015 Paris agreement the U.S. could try to re- to a groundswell of support
Associated Press economy and a healthy aims to prevent the Earth enter the deal under more elsewhere for the accord.
BOLOGNA, Italy (AP) — The environment,” the foot- from heating up by any favorable terms, but the “Our hope is that together
United States refused Mon- note read.As a result, the more than 2 degrees Cel- European Union — and in with big emerging econo-
day to sign on to a Group U.S. said it would not join sius (3.6 degrees Fahren- particular Italy, France and mies we can turn our com-
of Seven pledge that calls those sections of the com- heit) since the start of the Germany — have said the mitments into action —
the Paris climate accord munique on climate and industrial age. Since the Paris accord cannot be re- boldly enough and quickly
the “irreversible” global multilateral development world has already warmed negotiated. enough — to protect the
tool to address climate banks. about 1.1 degrees Cel- In a statement, the EPA most vulnerable among
change. The head of the U.S. En- sius (2 degrees Fahren- said the U.S. had “reset the us,” said Thoriq Ibrahim,
The G-7 environment minis- vironmental Protection heit), the accord aims to climate change discus- the Maldives environment
ters issued a final commu- Agency, Scott Pruitt, had ensure the threshold is not sion” at the G-7 meeting minister and chair of the
nique Monday after their attended the first few hours breached, with each na- and stressed that it was a Alliance of Small Island
two-day meeting, the first of the summit Sunday, but tion setting goals to curb party to the 15-page com- States.France’s environ-
since the United States an- then left to attend a Cabi- heat-trapping emissions. munique, except for the ment minister, Nicolas Hu-
nounced it was withdraw- net meeting in Washington. All but a very few scien- four pages dealing with lot, said he hoped many
ing from the Paris climate Presenting the communi- tists say the overwhelming climate change and fi- countries would follow
pact. In a footnote to the que Monday, Italy’s en- majority of global warm- nancing for sustainable France’s lead in scaling
communique, the United vironment minister, Gian ing is man-made. Scientists development.”Today’s ac- up their pledges and ac-
States said it wouldn’t join Luca Galletti, called the have known since the 19th tion of reaching consensus celerating the timetable
with the other six countries Paris accord “irreversible, century that burning coal, makes clear that the Paris on implementing Paris
in reaffirming their Paris non-negotiable and the oil and gas spews carbon Agreement is not the only benchmarks in response to
commitments, but said it only instrument possible to dioxide into the air, which mechanism by which envi- the U.S. withdrawal. He re-
was taking action on its combat climate change.” then acts like a blanket to ronmental stewardship can peated that there is a new
own to reduce its carbon He said the other G-7 trap heat on Earth.President be demonstrated,” Pruitt “economic model” to be
footprint. countries hoped to contin- Donald Trump announced said in a statement. found in developing clean
“The United States will con- ue “constructive dialogue” the U.S. was withdrawing In fact, the final text doesn’t energy.“Let us make sure
tinue to engage with key with the U.S., but insisted on from the Paris accord ear- say the Paris accord is the that Europe takes its part
international partners in a the Paris parameters. lier this month, framing it as only tool for tackling cli- in this economic opportu-
manner that is consistent “Everything else for us is ex- a “reassertion of America’s mate change. Rather, it nity,” he said. q
Natural gas built Qatar, now may protect it in Gulf dispute

By JON GAMBRELL gas, Qatar’s supplies keep Qatar wields a potential said Kristian Coates Ulrich- the Qataris are banking on
Associated Press homes warm in the British economic weapon if the sen, a Seattle-based re- right now.”
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates winter, fuel Asian markets crisis escalates and coun- search fellow at the James Qatar, a country of 2.2 mil-
(AP) — Natural gas built the and even power the elec- tries around the world that A. Baker III Institute for Pub- lion people where citizens
high-rises of Qatar’s capi- trical grid of the United depend on its supply may lic Policy at Rice University make up over 10 percent
tal, put the Al-Jazeera sat- Arab Emirates, one of the find themselves needing who has extensively stud- of the population, discov-
ellite news network on the main countries that has cut to side with the tiny nation ied Qatar. ered the offshore North
air and a fleet of passen- ties to the energy-rich na- that is home to a major U.S. “For any small country, par- Field in 1971, the same year
gers jets for its state carrier tion. military installation. ticularly a small country it became independent. It
in the sky. Now, it may be So far, its supplies have con- “If Qatari gas exports were in the Gulf surrounded by took years for engineers to
what protects Qatar as it is tinued uninterrupted since to be blocked, countries much larger and poten- discover the field’s vast re-
in the center of the worst the diplomatic dispute like Britain, Japan, South Ko- tially expansionary powers, serves, which shot Qatar to
diplomatic crisis to strike the began last week. Natural rea and China would have having international part- No. 3 in world rankings, be-
Gulf in decades. gas markets have yet to re- an energy crisis and would nerships is a key tool of your hind Russia and Iran, with
As the world’s biggest ex- spond to the rift and prices have to scramble to get external security,” he said. which it shares the North
porter of liquid natural have remained stable. But their energy elsewhere,” “I think that may be what Field. q