First reactions after Trump’s decision on Paris Accord: U.S. is damaging its own people with climate withdrawal, say German ministers. Canada is “deeply disappointed”

While U.S. President Donald Trump said that he decided to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord “to protect America and its citizens”, Social Democrat ministers from Germany’s government said his decision is damaging for Americans, Europeans and all other peoples of the world.

Trump said earlier on Thursday he would withdraw the United States from the landmark 2015 global agreement to fight climate change, spurning pleas from U.S. allies and corporate leaders in an action that fulfilled a major campaign pledge.

“The land of the free and the home of the brave is contradicting its principles and is thereby putting itself at odds with a worldwide consensus,” the seven ministers from the left-leaning Social Democratic Party (SPD) said in a statement.

Climate change is keeping Americans awake, literally

The SPD is junior partner in conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling coalition.

Canada is “deeply disappointed” by Trump’s decision

Canada is “deeply disappointed” by U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord, but will push ahead with measures to fight global warming, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said on Thursday.

“Canada is deeply disappointed at the U.S. position. The Paris agreement is a good deal for Canada and it’s a good deal for the world,” a grim-faced McKenna told reporters. “No one country can stop action on climate change.”

Climate withdrawal “a mistake with fatal consequences”, says Paris mayor

The mayor of Paris, where a landmark global climate agreement was agreed in December 2015, said the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw from the deal was “a mistake that would have dramatic consequences.” “That incredible diplomatic achievement could not have been secured without the decisive role of the United States of America. That is why President Trump is committing a mistake with dramatic and fatal consequences,” she said.

“Regardless of President Trump’s decision, the great cities of the world, in particular the twelve American C40 cities, remain resolutely committed to doing what needs to be done to implement the Paris agreement,” she said referring to 91 global cities that are have vowed to fight global warming.

Obama expressed regret over Trump’s action

“The nations that remain in the Paris agreement will be the nations that reap the benefits in jobs and industries created. I believe the United States of America should be at the front of the pack,” Obama said.

“But even in the absence of American leadership; even as this administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future; I’m confident that our states, cities, and businesses will step up and do even more to lead the way, and help protect for future generations the one planet we’ve got,” Obama added.

Supporters of the accord condemned Trump’s move as an abdication of American leadership and an international disgrace.

“At this moment, when climate change is already causing devastating harm around the world, we do not have the moral right to turn our backs on efforts to preserve this planet for future generations,” said U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, who sought the Democratic presidential nomination last year.

“Ignoring reality and leaving the Paris agreement could go down as one of the worst foreign policy blunders in our nation’s history, isolating the U.S. further after Trump’s shockingly bad European trip,” Democratic Senator Sheldon White House added.

Elon Musk quits Trump advisory councils after the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris climate accord

U.N. says U.S. withdrawal from Paris deal ‘major disappointment’

The United States’ decision to withdraw from the landmark Paris climate agreement was a “major disappointment for global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote global security,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Thursday.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “remains confident that cities, states and businesses within the United States – along with other countries – will continue to demonstrate vision and leadership by working for the low-carbon, resilient economic growth that will create quality jobs and markets for 21st century prosperity,” Dujarric said.

He said it was crucial that the United States remains a leader on environmental issues and that Guterres looked forward to engaging with the U.S. government “to build the sustainable future on which our grandchildren depend.”

Under the pact, which was years in the making, nations both rich and poor committed to reducing emissions of so-called greenhouse gases generated by burning fossils fuels and blamed by scientists for warming the planet.

The United States had committed to reduce its emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025. The United States, exceeded only by China in greenhouse gas emissions, accounts for more than 15 percent of the worldwide total.

Trump, who campaigned for president last year with an “America First” message, promised voters an American withdrawal, calling climate change a “hoax”.

U.S. supporters of the pact said any pullout by Trump would show that the United States can no longer be trusted to follow through on international commitments.