If you're one of the many feeling shell-shocked in the wake of President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, you're not alone. Former president Barack Obama just issued a characteristically articulate response in which he denounced Trump's White House for its short-sighted rejection of the future.
"The nations that remain in the Paris Agreement will be the nations that reap the benefits in jobs and industries created," Obama said in a statement per The Washington Post. "I believe the United States of America should be at the front of the pack."
RELATED STORY
The Paris agreement marked a turning point in the global fight against climate change, uniting almost 200 nations worldwide to legally ratify action against pollution. In withdrawing from the Paris agreement, described by Obama as "the first-ever global agreement to set the world on a low-carbon course and protect the world we leave to our children," Trump puts the United States in the company of just two other nations: Syria and Nicaragua.
"Even in the absence of American leadership; even as this Administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future," Obama's statement continued, "I'm confident that our states, cities, and businesses will step up and do even more to lead the way, and help protect for future generations the one planet we've got."
Watch Trump's announcement here:
Follow Marie Claire on Facebook for the latest news, fascinating reads, video, and more.
-
Meet the Cast of 'Parasyte: The Grey,' Netflix's Terrifying Hit K-dramaRising star Jeon So-nee leads the cast of award-winning actors.
-
Angel Reese's Draft Outfit Proves She's Already a Fashion ProThe former LSU player sparkled in a hooded gown.
-
Caitlin Clark Dressed in Head-to-Toe Prada for the WNBA DraftOnly fashion's top designer for the draft's top pick.
-
36 Ways Women Still Aren't Equal to MenIt's just one of the many ways women still aren't equal to men.
-
How New York's First Female Governor Plans to Fight for Women If ReelectedKathy Hochul twice came to power because men resigned amid sexual harassment scandals. Here, how she's leading differently.
-
Why the 2022 Midterm Elections Are So CriticalAs we blaze through a highly charged midterm election season, Swing Left Executive Director Yasmin Radjy highlights rising stars who are fighting for women’s rights.
-
Tammy Duckworth: 'I’m Mad as Hell' About the Lack of Federal Action on Gun SafetyThe Illinois Senator won't let the memory of the Highland Park shooting just fade away.
-
Roe Is Gone. We Have to Keep Fighting.Democracy always offers a path forward even when we feel thrust into the past.
-
The Supreme Court's Mississippi Abortion Rights Case: What to KnowThe case could threaten Roe v. Wade.
-
Sex Trafficking Victims Are Being Punished. A New Law Could Change That.Victims of sexual abuse are quietly criminalized. Sara's Law protects kids that fight back.
-
My Family and I Live in Navajo Nation. We Don't Have Access to Clean Running Water"They say that the United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Why are citizens still living with no access to clean water?"
