US to withdraw from Paris climate accord, Trump calls it ‘total disaster’

Washington, Nov 5 (UNI)The Trump administration notified the international community on Monday that it plans to officially withdraw from the Paris climate accord, as other countries expressed regret and disappointment at the move.

In a statement Monday afternoon, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration had sent official notification of its plans to the United Nations, says a Washington Post news report.

Last month, Trump called the agreement “a total disaster” and argued that the Obama administration’s pledges to cut carbon emissions under the deal would have “hurt the competitiveness” of the United States.

The agreement brought together 188 nations to combat climate change.

The notification begins a one-year process of exiting the global pact to fight climate change, culminating the day after the 2020 US election.