Canada denies it wants G20 to drop mention of Paris climate pact
Canada on Monday denied a report that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested deleting mentions of the Paris climate pact from the final communique of a major summit to appease U.S. President Donald Trump.
German magazine Der Spiegel on Saturday said Trudeau had made his comments in a call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who next month will host a G20 summit. Trump said this month he would withdraw from the Paris accord.
“This is not a true characterization … this is not the case,” said a Canadian government official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
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“The prime minister does not oppose the Paris agreement from being discussed at the G20.”
Canada says it is deeply disappointed by Trump’s decision. A source familiar with the matter said Trudeau had last month strongly urged the president to stay in the pact.
“We are absolutely committed to climate action. We will be strong on climate action at the G20,” Environment Minister Catherine McKenna on Monday told reporters by phone from a meeting of G7 environment ministers in Italy.
McKenna said she had told Scott Pruitt, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, how dismayed she was at Trump’s decision.
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