Trump set to reveal decision on Paris climate deal

All eyes were on the White House Thursday as US President Donald Trump was set to announce whether or not he will abandon a landmark global climate pact, as reports swirled about his intentions.

After a day of rumors about the Republican leader’s plans, with some aides reportedly saying a withdrawal was likely and others saying no decision was made, Trump said he was ready to make his stance known.

“I will be announcing my decision on Paris Accord, Thursday at 3:00 P.M. The White House Rose Garden. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” the US leader said in a tweet late Wednesday, punctuating the post with his campaign slogan

Earlier in the day, Trump said only that he’d been “hearing from a lot of people, both ways. Both ways.”

America’s international allies and Trump’s domestic opponents lashed out Wednesday at media reports that he had made up his mind to pull Washington out of the global accord to curb carbon emissions — a move that would make the deal less effective.

The White House did not confirm those reports, and it was unclear whether Trump would fully scrap US participation, merely water down US emissions objectives — or surprise everyone with a decision to follow the status quo.

A US withdrawal would come fewer than 18 months after the historic 196-nation pact was signed in the French capital, the fruit of a hard-fought agreement between Beijing and Washington under Barack Obama’s leadership.

The European Union and China indicated they would press ahead with the deal, regardless of US participation.

The United States is the world’s second biggest carbon emitter, after China.

“China and the EU… will implement the agreement,” a senior EU official told reporters on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The Paris Agreement will continue with full force of implementation even if the US pulls out.”

The US administration under Trump – who once called climate change a “hoax” – has resisted intense pressure from US partners to commit to respecting the global accord.

The White House had previously indicated that Trump could simply recalibrate emissions targets.

Under Obama, Washington had pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025.

Nancy Pelosi, one of the top Democrats in Congress, described the apparent decision as a “stunning abdication of American leadership and a grave threat to our planet’s future.”