The Sunday News
Hamburg — Leaders of 19 nations at the G20 summit in Germany have renewed their pledge to implement the Paris deal on climate change, despite the US withdrawing.
Deadlock over the issue had held up the last day of talks in Hamburg but a final agreement was eventually reached.
It acknowledges President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement without undermining the commitment of other countries.
The compromise comes after violent protests in the host city.
The joint summit statement released yesterday said: “We take note of the decision of the United States of America to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.”
However, the leaders of the other G20 members agreed the accord was “irreversible”.
Confirming the compromise agreement, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she still deplored Mr Trump’s position on the Paris accord but she was pleased the other 19 nations opposed its renegotiation.
She had described the first day of talks on Friday as “very difficult”.
Leaders also held separate talks in Hamburg earlier. President Donald Trump met British PM Theresa May, and said a US-UK trade deal would be signed soon.
Mr Trump, after his morning meeting with Ms May, said he expected a “very powerful” trade deal between the two countries “very quickly”.
The G20 (Group of Twenty) is a summit for 19 countries, both developed and developing, plus the EU. — BBC
