Environmental Protection Agency acting chief Andrew Wheeler on Thursday exited the Group of Seven meeting of industrialized nations “pleased” to have made progress on a variety of pressing environmental issues, while skirting the issue of climate change.
In a bilateral meeting with Germany, Wheeler reiterated “how there is no shortage of important environmental issues to continue to work on with Germany and the rest of the G7 countries,” EPA said in a readout from the meeting with Germany. He made that comment after discussing President Trump’s decision to exit from the Paris climate accord, EPA said.
EPA said the U.S.’ goal at the meeting was aimed at international initiatives that address “tangible environmental issues with practical solutions,” including “minimizing food waste, reducing marine litter, and improving air quality.” Prompting governmental action related to climate change was not on the list.
On Wednesday, Wheeler told the Canadian Press in an interview that the administration continues to believe the Paris accord was not fair to the United States. Nevertheless, he insisted that the administration is taking a “serious look” at the country’s own carbon dioxide emissions outside of a global accord.
U.S. carbon emissions, the leading cause of global warming, were at at 25-year low in 2017 due to a switch from coal to natural gas-fired electricity and other cleaner sources of energy, according to the Energy Department. Carbon emissions are expected to rise this year, however.
Wheeler’s statement after the meeting of environmental ministers at the gathering in Halifax made no mention of global warming or climate change.
A day earlier, Canadian environment minister Catherine McKenna, who hosted the meeting, opened it by saying she was not a “quitter” when it came to climate change.
But prominent environmentalist David Suzuki called on her to resign, given the Canadian government’s continued support for the oil industry, and her inability to sway the Trump administration to come back into the Paris fold, according to the Canadian Press.
Nevertheless, Wheeler’s statement after the meeting steered clear of any drama.
“The United States is pleased with the progress being made by global leaders to advance practical solutions that will reduce marine litter, minimize food waste, and improve air quality,” he said after the gathering of environment ministers concluded. “We look forward to continuing constructive dialogue.”
Five of the members of the G7 have signed onto Canada’s pledge to manage plastic waste in the oceans. The U.S. and Japan have not signed onto the charter, which is part of the marine litter aspect of the G7 discussions.
