It was a profession of faith in the need for and the virtues of multilateralism that EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini delivered when she spoke at United Nations headquarters in New York on 9 May – Europe Day. Here, she had the opportunity to celebrate the Paris climate agreement as one of the great successes of international cooperation in addressing the global challenge of tackling climate change and to call on the United States to remain firm in its commitment to the universal agreement.
Her call was launched on behalf of the EU as the White House announced that Donald Trump would clarify his position after his meeting with the other G7 leaders (in Taormina, Italy, on 26-27 May) that will focus on the global economy, citizens’ security and environmental sustainability.
“Beyond our continent, we are the essential partner of a more cooperative, more multilateral and more peaceful world. An essential partner of the United Nations and of all those who consider multilateralism as the key to a world order that works”, said Mogherini, underlining the extent to which peace and security, growth, sustainable development and international relations are intertwined.
She said that the famine in the Horn of Africa should serve as “a powerful reminder that climate change is real and is already impacting on our security environment. Everything is linked”. “So, we continue to expect that the United States will find a way to remain committed to the Paris Agreement. I know that there is a debate ongoing and we respect it very much. But 195 countries have signed the deal on climate change, and there will be 195 different paths to meeting the Paris goals and honouring the agreement. I am sure there is room for the US Administration to find its own path, being part of what the world has agreed together”, she stated.
If the EU and the United Nations share the same approach, then, in Mogherini’s view, both are seeking “win-win solutions” based on compromise.
“When we speak about multilateralism, it is not just a rhetorical profession of faith. It is not ideological posturing, but a choice that is both calculated and pragmatic. No world power is strong enough to end all the crises of our time”, the high representative argued, stating that “the Paris Agreement shows the right approach to the challenges of our era”.
In his telephone conversation with French President-elect Emmanuel Macron on 9 May, Chinese President Xi Jinping assured France of his support in “defence of” the Paris Agreement, the implementation of which is currently being negotiated in Bonn.
On the same day, the Trans-Atlantic Business Council (TABC), an association representing European and American businesses, addressed an open letter to President Trump to state its support for the Paris Agreement and to stress that continued US participation in the agreement would not only bolster efforts to limit the global rise in temperature but also allow US businesses to remain competitive as new technologies emerge and provide opportunities for new investments and job creation. “Withdrawing from the Paris Agreement risks putting US industry at a disadvantage with its international partners”, in the view of Tim Bennett, TABC Director General. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)