Juncker: Complete U.S. Withdrawal from Paris Agreement Will Take Years

The President of the European Commission stated that Europe must make it clear to the United States that withdrawal from the Paris climate change agreement will not happen immediately and that the complete withdrawal of the U.S. from this accord will take years. Jean-Claude Juncker emphasized on Wednesday, June 10, that "it is Europe's duty to announce: it is not the case, Americans cannot immediately exit the climate protection agreement. Mr. Trump thinks so because he is unaware of the details." According to Reuters, he added that it will take years for the United States to free itself from the responsibilities it accepted following the signing of this agreement. Meanwhile, a senior EU official announced that the EU and China will reaffirm their commitment to implementing the Paris climate agreement this week. This news came after reports indicated that Donald Trump, the President of the United States, is planning to withdraw Washington from this Paris climate agreement. According to Reuters, this European official told reporters that the EU and China will also "explain" their plans for fulfilling their commitments under this international agreement to combat global warming during their meeting on Friday in Brussels. The official, who is involved in preparing for the meeting between Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, and Li Keqiang, the Prime Minister of China, requested anonymity as the meeting's statement has not yet been finalized. Li and his accompanying Chinese delegation are scheduled to travel to Brussels late Thursday. Earlier, a White House official announced on Wednesday that Donald Trump intends to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement. However, he was cautious about using the term "withdrawal" as Trump's decision has not yet been finalized. The announcement of this news has faced strong reactions from European lawmakers. Antonio Tajani, the President of the European Parliament, stated that "climate change is not a fairy tale. It is a stark reality that affects people's daily lives." He added, "People are dying or being forced to leave their homes due to desertification, water scarcity, disease outbreaks, and severe climate conditions. If we do not act immediately and decisively in this regard, human casualties and economic costs will rise." In Madrid, the Prime Ministers of India and Spain emphasized their commitment to combating climate change and supported the implementation of the Kyoto and Paris agreements. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, also stated in Berlin on Tuesday that the destruction of the environment for future generations is a "crime." On the other hand, a Canadian official urged the U.S. not to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. However, he stated that the presence or absence of the U.S. will not change Canada's commitment to this agreement. Catherine McKenna, Canada's Minister of Environment, told reporters that her country will continue on its path in this regard. The Paris climate agreement was signed in 2015 with the participation of representatives from 196 countries to limit global warming by reducing carbon dioxide emissions and decreasing the burning of fossil fuels. Mr. Trump tweeted on Wednesday that he will announce his decision regarding adherence to the Paris Agreement "in the coming days."