Pruitt confirms Paris exit

ITALY: The US stood firm on its decision to exit the Paris climate agreement when the G7 countries met in Bologna, yesterday.

As environment ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and EU reaffirmed their countries’ commitments to the Paris climate agreement, US EPA administrator Scott Pruitt confirmed the US decision to withdraw, saying that Paris was “not the only way forward to making progress”.

In a statement, the EPA said that it would continue to engage with key international partners “in a manner that is consistent with our domestic priorities, preserving both a strong economy and a healthy environment”.

“Accordingly, we the United States do not join those sections of the communiqué on climate and MDBs, reflecting our recent announcement to withdraw and immediately cease implementation of the Paris Agreement and associated financial commitment,” it added.