May accused of being Trump’s 'mole' in EU over climate policy

British Prime Minister Theresa May has been accused of being US President Donald Trump’s “mole” in Europe after leaked documents exposed the UK’s attempts to weaken EU policies to tackle climate change.

“After the G7 [meeting], the word was put out that six countries were on track, pursuing the objective of the Paris Agreement. Only one country, America, was out of step,” Barry Gardiner, the shadow International Trade Secretary, told The Independent on Monday.

“That simply has been proven not to be the case by this leak, which shows Donald Trump actually has a mole within the EU and that mole is the UK,” he added.

Referring to the leaked documents, obtained by Greenpeace’s Energydesk, Gardiner continued, “The UK is, behind the scenes, trying to water down the commitments and make them voluntary instead of mandatory.”

The documents showed that the UK tried to make a policy designed to voluntarily improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make goods cheaper to run for consumers.

In an unexpected announcement on Saturday, Trump who was at a summit of G7 leaders in Sicily, said he would later decide on whether the United States would abide by the 2015 Paris agreement on cutting global carbon emissions.

“I will make my final decision on the Paris Accord next week!” Trump tweeted.

While six of the seven parties renewed their commitment to the 2015 Paris accord on climate change, they voiced frustration at the US president's failure to commit to the deal aimed at stemming global warming.

Trump reportedly told his confidants that he would withdraw the US from the climate accord.

Read more: 

• Trump clashes with leaders at G7 meeting
• US to quit Paris climate deal: Trump

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the climate talks “very unsatisfactory.”

“Here we have a situation of six against one, meaning there is still no sign of whether the US will remain in the Paris accord or not,” she said.

Pointing out the British government’s failure to produce an effective plan to reduce carbon emissions in line with a “carbon budget” announced in 2011, Gardiner said, “I think the UK loves the rhetoric of being a world leader on climate change but we are living off the reputation that was built up in 2008 when we [Labour] put through the Climate Change Act.”

The Paris Agreement entered into force on November 4, 2016 and has been signed by 197 countries, of which 147 have now formally ratified it. Together, these countries represent more than 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Trump has proposed to amend the agreement, with his administration officials reportedly telling lobbyists and European diplomats that the United States will withdraw from the climate pact unless it secures concessions for the fossil fuel industry.

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