Nineteen of the 20 nations gathered in Hamburg, Germany for the G20 Summit have agreed to a joint statement on Saturday, which covers a range of issues, including international trade and the environment.
The one hold out? The United States and Donald Trump.
Why? Because the president believes the section on climate change is a little too pro-environment, and he wants to mention the use of fossil fuels.
G20 communique agreed apart from climate issue: EU officials https://t.co/RMw1cNDEJJ pic.twitter.com/ZzkorVphFB
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— Reuters U.S. News (@ReutersUS) July 8, 2017
According to Reuters, “World leaders meeting for a summit in Germany have agreed on every aspect of a joint statement apart from the section on climate where the United States is pushing for a reference to fossil fuels, European Union officials said on Saturday.”
The report noted that climate change – a no-brainer issue for every other world superpower – is the one remaining sticking point for the group of 20 nations, and the group worked until 2 a.m. to come to some type of agreement.
The Hill also reported that the statement mentions “that 19 of the 20 countries – with the U.S. the only exclusion – are committed to the Paris agreement on climate change.”
Overall, Trump’s position on climate change is nothing to shrug off or scoff at, like it was during and before his presidential campaign. Now, the guy who believes climate change is a Chinese-manufactured hoax is setting international policy.
His behavior may play well to his shrinking group of supporters back home, but the United States under Donald Trump’s leadership is becoming a laughingstock on the world stage.
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.