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posted by on Saturday June 03 2017, @06:41AM   Printer-friendly
from the balance-shifting dept.

The Guardian reports:

The European Union has rejected Donald Trump's offer to renegotiate the Paris climate agreement and pledged instead to bypass Washington to work with US business leaders and state governors to implement the historic accord's commitments.

Less than 24 hours after the US president announced his decision to withdraw from the 2015 agreement and strike a new, less ambitious deal with the rest of the world, Brussels declared its outright refusal to engage in such talks.

EU officials will instead cut out the White House to deal directly with the US states and major corporations, many of whom have already pledged to live by the terms forged in Paris.

China vows to partner with the EU on clean energy.

But Beijing and Brussels have been preparing to announce their intention to accelerate joint efforts to reduce global carbon emissions.

According to a statement being prepared before an EU-China summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, the new alliance will say they are determined to "lead the energy transition" toward a low-carbon economy.

The EU's climate commissioner, Miguel Arias CaƱete, told the Guardian: "The EU and China are joining forces to forge ahead on the implementation of the Paris agreement and accelerate the global transition to clean energy."

Let's not wait for the guy with the awkward handshake anymore.

That's the gist of documents, seen by the Financial Times*, about the upcoming EU-China summit this Friday in Brussels.

Cooperation on the deployment of electric cars, energy efficiency labelling, and scientific research into green innovation. Further increasing the share of renewable energy, by boosting interconnected power networks. Setting up a scheme for emissions trading in China, with an eye of coupling that scheme to the pioneering EU version. Money to fund developing countries' climate plans.

"The increasing impacts of climate change require a decisive response", the joint statement reads,"Tackling climate change and reforming our energy systems are significant drivers of job creation, investment opportunities and economic growth."

* EU and China strengthen climate ties to counter US retreat. Financial Times, Wednesday May 31, 2017. [Paywalled]


Original Submission #1 Original Submission #2

 
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  • (Score: 2) by Sulla on Saturday June 03 2017, @02:45PM (2 children)

    by Sulla (5173) on Saturday June 03 2017, @02:45PM (#519869) Journal

    "EU officials will instead cut out the White House to deal directly with the US states"

      I can't recall it exactly as it has been a long time since I last read the Constitution, but isn't that illegal?

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  • (Score: 2) by its_gonna_be_yuge! on Saturday June 03 2017, @04:19PM (1 child)

    by its_gonna_be_yuge! (6454) on Saturday June 03 2017, @04:19PM (#519897)

    I can't recall it exactly as it has been a long time since I last read the Constitution, but isn't that illegal?

    No.

    • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 03 2017, @05:54PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 03 2017, @05:54PM (#519926)

      Uh... Yes it is illegal. The relavent text from section 10 specifically parts on agreements, treaties, and foreign powers...

      No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.

      No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.

      No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay