US Formally Notifies UN of Withdrawal from Paris Climate Accord

By staff, Agencies

A US State Department official told reporters on Monday that Washington had notified the United Nations that it would exit from the deal, adding that this would mark the first formal step in a one-year process to exit the global pact to mitigate climate change.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed Monday that the US had kicked off the formal withdrawal process, while stressing that Washington is proud of its "record as a world leader in reducing all emissions".

Spokeswoman for the US Department of State, Morgan Ortagus, echoed Pompeo's statement, adding that the US "will continue to assist our partners to reduce emissions".

UN spokesman Farhan Haq said Monday that the United Nations has received an official notification by the United States outlining its intent to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement within a year.

"We have received it, we can confirm it", Haq said on Monday when asked whether the United States has sent a notice to the United Nations.

In 2017, the Trump administration announced that it would withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement as soon as it is legally allowed to do so.

The Paris Agreement, a landmark climate accord signed in the French capital in 2015, aims to keep global average temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius [3.6 degrees Fahrenheit] by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Currently, 197 countries are parties to the Paris Agreement, and 185 have ratified the treaty.