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Saturday 3 June 2017
Trump Paris pullout a new hurdle for Tillerson’s diplomacy

By JOSH LEDERMAN rial foreign policy decision-
MATTHEW LEE making. Tillerson is the for-
Associated Press mer CEO of Exxon Mobil, the
WASHINGTON (AP) — As world’s largest oil company
President Donald Trump and one that spent years
announced America’s examining climate science
withdrawal from a global until grudgingly accept-
climate change pact, infu- ing the dangers of global
riating allies far and wide, warming. Still, his support
the man charged with de- for the Paris deal was insuf-
fending the decision to the ficient to persuade Trump
world kept his distance. to stay in.
Having quietly lobbied This weekend, Tillerson vis-
Trump to stay in the pact, its Australia and New Zea-
Secretary of State Rex Tiller- land. Both countries have
son was a few blocks away been outspoken in their
at the State Department, climate change concerns
where America’s diplomats and support for the Paris
were bracing for a flood of agreement. Tillerson is sure
protests from overseas. The to hear an earful about the
European Council’s leader issue in the days, weeks,
called Trump’s decision months and years ahead.
a “big mistake.” The typi- “Tillerson’s credibility issues
cally understated German Secretary of State Rex Tillerson answers a question from the media about the U.S. leaving the Paris right now are far broader
Chancellor Angela Merkel climate accord, while meeting with Brazilian Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes Ferreira, Friday, June than just the Paris accord,”
2, 2017, at the State Department in Washington.
deemed it “extremely re- (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) said Cecile Shea, a re-
grettable — and that’s put- tired U.S. diplomat, now of
ting it very mildly.” French agreement, but the deci- schedule, which had him forts to reduce those emis- the Chicago Council on
President Emmanuel Ma- sion fanned fears of the U.S. in his seventh-floor office sions in the future,” Tillerson Global Affairs. She said the
cron trolled Trump’s cam- abdicating its global lead- on Thursday afternoon as said Friday, playing down withdrawal compounded
paign motto, saying all na- ership role and shunning Trump was speaking. the president’s decision. suspicions about U.S. lead-
tions share a responsibility international consensus on Aides could not say if Tiller- “So hopefully people can ership since Trump left the
to “make our planet great the world’s most pressing is- son watched the president keep it in perspective.” Trans-Pacific Partnership
again.” sues. on television. But he will be Tillerson called Trump’s ac- trade deal and questioned
Trump’s climate reversal Tillerson wasn’t the only almost surely be required tion a “policy decision.” He the NATO alliance.
is the latest challenge he Cabinet member to skip to recite the rationale for insisted the U.S. should be Tillerson’s argument to
has presented to Tillerson, the Rose Garden cer- Trump’s pullout from the proud of its “terrific record” Trump was that leaving
a newcomer himself to the emony where Trump an- agreement cutting carbon in cutting greenhouse gas the agreement would di-
world of diplomacy who is nounced his decision, but emissions, given that his emissions, even before the minish U.S. influence in en-
still working to establish his his absence was perhaps agency led the Paris deal Paris pact took effect late couraging other countries
credibility as an advocate the most glaring. He met negotiations and will now last year. to reduce their emissions,
of American foreign policy. Trump only hours earlier in have to manage the inter- Trump’s announcement is aides said. He didn’t argue
Not only did Trump appear the White House. Tillerson’s national fallout. renewing questions about that it would affect U.S. ef-
to overrule Tillerson’s ad- aides maintained that he “I don’t think we’re going the level of Tillerson’s influ- forts to reduce American
vice concerning the Paris decided to follow his own to change our ongoing ef- ence on his boss’ mercu- emissions.q
Putin: ‘Don’t worry, be happy’ as Trump ditches climate deal

By MICHAEL BIESECKER other wedge between the Putin lots of wiggle room
Associated Press United States and its tradi- because the fall of the So-
WASHINGTON (AP) — While tional European allies, while viet Union in the early 1990s
other world leaders have aligning its stance closer to triggered the collapse of
strongly condemned Presi- Russia in boosting fossil fuels the country’s centrally
dent Donald Trump’s deci- while deferring action to planned economy, greatly
sion to abandon the Paris curb climate change. reducing carbon emissions
climate accord, Russian While Putin’s government in subsequent years.
President Vladimir Putin signed the 2015 Paris ac- Russia also insisted in its Par-
said Friday he won’t judge. cord, he has delayed for- is submission that it be giv-
“Don’t worry, be happy!” mally ratifying the agree- en the maximum potential
Putin quipped after being ment for at least two more credit for carbon adsorbed
asked for his reaction at years. Russia’s voluntary out of the atmosphere by
an economic forum in St. reduction goals under Siberia’s vast undeveloped
Petersburg, Russia. He said the deal are among the forests. Under current pro-
the climate deal doesn’t weakest submitted by any
formally go into effect until Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with heads of major for- country, potentially allow- jections, Russia could step
2021, giving nations years eign companies at the St. Petersburg International Economic ing it to spew more planet- up its carbon emissions and
Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday, June 2, 2017.
to come up with a con- (Sergei Savostyanov/TASS News Agency via AP) warming emissions in future still claim to meet its 2030
structive solution to com- years, not less. goals.
bating global warming. emitter of greenhouse takingly negotiated by the Russia pledged to reduce That gives Putin’s govern-
For Putin, leader of the gases, there was plenty to Obama administration and its carbon emissions by at ment little economic incen-
world’s biggest crude oil cheer in Trump’s rejection signed by 195 countries. least 25 percent below 1990 tive to invest in green tech-
producer and fifth-largest of the agreement pains- Trump’s move drives an- levels by 2030. That gives nologies. q