Chinese president Xi Jinping. -Reuters The world must not allow the Paris climate deal to be "derailed" or continue to inflict irreparable damage on the environment, Chinese president Xi Jinping has said, amid fears the rise of Donald Trump could strike a body blow to the fight against global warming. Trump, who will be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States on Friday, has threatened to pull out of the historic Paris agreement and dismissed climate change as a Chinese "hoax" and "expensive… bullshit".
But in an address to the United Nations in Geneva on Wednesday, which observers saw as a high-profile bid to bolster China's image as a reliable and dedicated climate leader, Xi issued a direct challenge to those views, warning "there is only one Earth in the universe and we mankind have only one homeland".
"The Paris agreement is a milestone in the history of climate governance. We must ensure this endeavor is not derailed," the Communist party leader said. "All parties should work together to implement the Paris agreement. China will continue to take steps to tackle climate change and fully honor its obligations," Xi added, according to a transcript published by Xinhua, Chi-na's official news agency.
Just a few months ago, climate campaigners hailed a major breakthrough in efforts to tackle global warming when Barack Obama and Xi jointly announced that their countries, the world's top two emitters of greenhouse gases, would ratify the Paris accord.
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