JOHANNESBURG, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The South African government called on the United States to reconsider its withdrawal from the Paris climate accord on Friday.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that his country is withdrawing from the Paris agreement which he said does not put America first.
South African Department of Environmental Affairs criticized the move. Spokesperson of the department Albie Modise said, "South Africa therefore expresses its profound regret over the decision of the United States of America to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, which reflects the multilateral agreement to keep global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius. South Africa therefore calls on the United States to reconsider its position and to re-commit to the multilateral process."
He said the international community regards climate change as the single biggest threat to wellbeing, health and socio-economic development facing humanity this century. Climate change negatively affects mostly the poor and most vulnerable.
South Africa said the global community have a common responsibility to act, whilst noting that nations over time have contributed to the problem differently and have varied capabilities to respond.
"The Paris Agreement represents the most flexible and dynamic approach to addressing climate change, and the withdrawal of the U.S. is not only an abdication of global responsibility we all have to humankind, but damaging to multilateralism, the rule of law and trust between nations," said Modise.
South Africa also said the adoption of the Paris Agreement, 15 years after the withdrawal of the United States from the Kyoto Protocol, is a victory for multilateral effort to curb climate change.
The speed ratification of the accord by the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, including the U.S., reflects the scientific consensus on severity of the crisis. The U.S. has contributed significantly to global emissions and therefore has a moral obligation to lead in reducing emissions and support poorer economies in contributing to the global effort, said Modise.
"South Africa has full confidence in and reiterates its unwavering commitment to the realization of the goals set out in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement. The global effort to curb climate change and address its impacts cannot be postponed. There is an urgent need for action, and as such there is no space for renegotiation," he added.
Modise said, "These nationally determined contributions are to represent countries' best effort, and to be progressively enhanced over time. South Africa has full confidence that the momentum of the collective effort to address climate change will only accelerate. "
Many environmental activists have criticized the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris accord as reversal the gains made in the environmental protection. South Africa said they recognize the outstanding contribution made to the fight against climate change in the U.S. by past Administrations, states, cities, scientific organizations, civil society, business and individual citizens.
