US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Snubs UN Request For Climate Change Meeting

Those in positions of power who obstruct urgently needed action to address global warming are the greatest threat to life on Earth. There is no greater crime and no greater act of evil than this. - Molly

Mr Tillerson was until recently the chief executive of oil giant ExxonMobil Getty

 by Ian Johnston

The US Secretary of State, former oil industry mogul Rex Tillerson, has not responded to a request from the United Nations’ most senior climate change official for a face-to-face meeting amid concern about the Trump administration’s stance on global warming.

Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), told a conference about the issue in Chicago that progress towards a low-carbon economy was now “unstoppable” with many businesses already making the transition.

However she admitted the UNFCCC was worried about “rumours” that the US could withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Ms Espinosa also smiled about the prospect of a Mexican woman trying to talk about global warming with the United States’ new leadership – given Donald Trump’s talk about building a wall between his and her country to prevent migration, dismissal of climate science as a Chinese hoax and remarks about being able to sexually assault women because he was a celebrity that helped spark the worldwide Women’s March protests.

After her speech in Chicago, she struck a conciliatory tone as she revealed her request for a meeting with Mr Tillerson had not produced a response.

“I have not heard back. It is understandable at the beginning of an administration,” Ms Espinosa said, according to Bloomberg.

“They are a very important partner to us, and I’m looking forward to working together.”

She made clear the importance of the United States to the world’s efforts to limit global warming to below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and as close to 1.5C as possible – the target agreed at the Paris Summit.

“We are of course worried about rumours that the possibility of the US pulling out of the Paris Agreement and the convention on climate change,” she said. 

“It would be very bad if there were a change of position in the US. That’s why I’m looking forwards to engaging with the US as a partner.”

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