Columbans criticise President Trump on climate u-turn

The Superior General of the Missionary Society of St Columban has criticised the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement as “jeopardising” global efforts to prevent the destruction of the planet.

Fr Kevin O’Neill SSC said the Columbans “stand against policies that negatively affect the communities we serve, our common home, and in particular the poor and vulnerable”.

“Columbans serve communities across the globe who daily face the devastating impacts of a dramatically changing climate,” he said.

“Withdrawal from the agreement undercuts our positive relationship with the rest of the world, jeopardising cooperation on many global efforts and weakening our response as one global family to the destruction of the planet.”

He said failure to address climate change will “exacerbate forced migration, food insecurity, conflict, and disease” and these impacts will be primarily borne by “the most vulnerable who contribute the least to climate change”.

‘Reckless’

Trócaire Executive Director Éamonn Meehan described President Trump’s decision as a “reckless move” that would “signal a complete lack of concern for the world’s poorest people by the Trump administration”.

“President Trump should travel to east Africa and see for himself the devastating impact of climate change. Trócaire sees those impacts every day,” he said. “The Paris Agreement remains our promise to future generations; a promise we must keep.”