MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

May disappointed with Trump's decision to drop Paris climate change agreement; Europe condemns

Downing Street said “The prime minister expressed her disappointment with the decision and stressed UK remained committed to the Paris Agreement”

PM Theresa May has told Donald Trump of her “disappointment” with his decision to pull the US out of the 2015 Paris climate agreement. In a phone call with the US president, Mrs. May said the UK remained committed to the deal, according to a Downing Street statement. But Mrs. May has been criticized for not signing a joint condemnation from France, Germany, and Italy. Mr. Trump said he would try to negotiate a new, “fairer” climate deal.

 In their statement, France, Germany and Italy warned Mr. Trump that the Paris agreement could not be renegotiated.

Downing Street said: “President Trump called the prime minister this evening to discuss his decision to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement. The prime minister expressed her disappointment with the decision and stressed that the UK remained committed to the Paris Agreement, as she set out recently at the G7.

”She said that the Paris Agreement provides the right global framework for protecting the prosperity and security of future generations, while keeping energy affordable and secure for our citizens and businesses.“

The Paris agreement commits the US and 187 other countries to keeping global temperatures rises ”well below” 2C (3.6F) and “endeavor to limit” them even more, to 1.5C. Only Syria and Nicaragua did not sign up to the deal.

In a joint statement, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni declared their “regret” at Mr. Trump's move. They said they remained committed to the “irreversible” accord and regarded it as “a cornerstone in the co-operation between our countries, for effectively and timely tackling climate change”.

Defending the UK government's decision not to sign the declaration, Chief Treasury Secretary David Gauke said on BBC Newsnight: “Different countries will take different approaches in how we choose to express our opinion.”

But Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who described Mr Trump's move as “profoundly regrettable”, said it was an “appalling abdication of leadership by the PM”.

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said “the opprobrium of the world” should ring in Mr Trump's ears. She added: “Also guilty are his so-called 'closest allies' in our own Tory government, who have failed to raise even the quietest peep in protest.”

Former Labour leader Ed Miliband said: “Theresa May, why are you missing from this statement? You can't stand up for Britain because you won't stand up to Trump. Weak leadership.”