Still time to convince U.S. of benefits of Paris climate accord: McKenna
OTTAWA — Environment Minister Catherine McKenna says there is still time to convince the United States not to withdraw from the Paris climate change accord and an unexpected meeting scheduled for New York next week might be the first step in that direction.
McKenna is one of about a dozen environment and climate ministers from the world’s largest economies who were suddenly invited by White House chief economic adviser Gary Cohn to discuss climate at a breakfast in New York on Monday.
Invitations described it as an opportunity for an “informal exchange of views and discuss how we can move forward most productively” on climate change.
The meeting is being taken by some as an olive branch from a White House whose chief occupant has said climate change is a hoax and who announced in June he intended to withdraw the United States from the Paris accord unless it can be renegotiated in favour of the U.S.