European Council President Donald Tusk said Friday that Europe’s strong ties with the U.S. will outweigh President Trump’s “big mistake” of withdrawing from the Paris climate change agreement on Thursday.
Tusk discussed Trump’s decision after a two-day summit with Chinese officials in Brussels, during which the Paris deal was high on the agenda. He said the European Union and China are “stepping up” cooperation, which means “China and Europe have demonstrated solidarity with future generations and responsibility for the whole planet.”
Tusk said Europeans are “convinced that yesterday’s decision by the United States to leave the Paris Agreement is a big mistake, bigger than not ratifying the Kyoto Protocol [under former President George W. Bush], because Paris is fairer.”
But Tusk didn’t mention any retaliatory actions against the Trump administration. Instead, he vowed to keep ties with the U.S. strong, and said Europe’s links to the U.S. are more durable than the decisions of the current U.S. administration.
“However, strong transatlantic ties are far more important and far more durable than the latest, unfortunate decisions of the new administration,” Tusk said. “Strong transatlantic ties are still the best guarantee that the people and nations who advocate freedom and peaceful order will not be left helpless or alone.”
There has been speculation that countries could impose carbon tariffs on the U.S. for exiting the Paris deal. But Tusk’s comments suggest that isn’t the focus, at least not yet.
“[T]he fight against climate change, and all the research, innovation and technological progress it will bring, will continue, with or without the U.S.,” Tusk said.
Most experts say the idea of imposing tariffs on the U.S. for exiting the deal is an option, but not one that would occur quickly if that is the direction a country wants to take.
The Paris Agreement has no enforcement mechanisms, and the United Nations is not going to levy fines on its members for non-compliance. Individual countries would have to take action through their parliaments and legislatures if they want to sanction another member, which could take months to pass and implement.
Another factor to weigh is that the U.S. withdraw will take nearly four years to move through the United Nations. Even though President Trump exited the agreement, a formal withdrawal won’t occur until the next presidential election cycle.
