Despite President-elect Donald Trump's apparent disdain for the Paris climate change agreement, a senior U.S. official believes that the international deal is strong enough to withstand the impacts of his presidency.
Jonathan Pershing, an official from the U.S. State Department and Washington's special envoy at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Marrakech, Morocco, said that the passion and dedication that world negotiators put into the creation of the treaty will allow it to continue even if Trump withdraws U.S. support for it.
"Heads of state can and will change but I am confident that we can and we will sustain a durable international effort to counter climate change," he pointed out.
Pershing added that they are expecting representatives from Trump's transition team to arrive at the State Department soon and help determine U.S. diplomacy in the coming years.
Trump Administration's Plans For Climate Change
Trump hasn't exactly been a big fan of the Paris climate change deal, even going as far as telling voters that he will "cancel" the treaty once he becomes U.S. president. He has also threatened to cut financial support of the U.N. body responsible for curbing the effects of global warming.
After winning the election, Trump spared no time in naming Myron Ebell, a known critic of climate change efforts, as the head of his transition team for the Environmental Protection Agency.
Pershing said he still doesn't know who Trump plans to appoint as his chief climate change advisor. However, he explained that whoever the president-elect chooses, he or she should recognize the strength of the Paris agreement and what it could achieve for the world.
He pointed out that the treaty helps protect both the environment and the economic growth of nations, while still being able to accommodate the differing circumstances of each country.
"It is durable, it is inclusive it is ambitious," Pershing said.
Outgoing President Barack Obama also called on Trump not to end the Paris climate change agreement once he takes office next year.
The president told reporters on Monday, Nov. 14 that the United States needs to keep its support for the landmark treaty as it helps convince other countries to work together in curbing the effects of global warming around the world.
He argued that climate change efforts have helped make the U.S. economy more efficient, improve the bottom line for Americans and clean up the environment.
The Paris treaty has also helped convince countries, such as India and China, to commit to fighting global warming, Obama said.
