U.N. delegates worry Trump will withdraw from climate change plan
MARRAKECH, Morocco -- Delegates at U.N. talks in Morocco say they’re worried that the election of Donald Trump could jeopardize a $100 billion plan launched by his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton seven years ago to help poor countries to cope with climate change.
Trump vowed during his campaign to withdraw U.S. tax dollars from those U.N. global warming programs. They’re designed to help vulnerable countries shift to cleaner energy and adapt to rising seas and other impacts of climate change.
The immediate worry for delegates at the climate talks is what Trump’s election means for the Obama administration’s pledge of $3 billion to a key U.N. climate fund. Only $500 million of that pledge has been disbursed so far.
The pledges are part of a wider effort by rich countries to mobilize $100 billion annually for poor countries, announced by Clinton in 2009 when she was U.S. secretary of state.
Climate activists are calling on rich countries to raise their contributions, fearing that withdrawing U.S. funds could have a domino effect.