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World leaders applaud Biden's decision to bring US back into Paris climate accord

Paris climate accord
Posted at 5:02 AM, Jan 21, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-21 09:04:09-05

BERLIN — World leaders breathed an audible sigh of relief that the United States under President Joe Biden is rejoining the global effort to curb climate change, a cause that his predecessor had shunned.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron were among those welcoming Biden’s decision to rejoin the Paris climate accord.

"President @JoeBiden rejoining the Paris Agreement is hugely positive news," Johnson tweeted. "In the year we host @COP26 in Glasgow, I look forward to working with our US partners to do all we can to safeguard our planet."

"To @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. Best wishes on this most significant day for the American people! We are together," Macron tweeted. "We will be stronger to face the challenges of our time. Stronger to build our future. Stronger to protect our planet. Welcome back to the Paris Agreement!

The treaty, forged in the French capital in 2015, commits countries to put forward plans for reducing their emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which is released from burning fossil fuels.

President Donald Trump had questioned the scientific warnings about man-made global warming, at times accusing other countries of using the Paris accord as a club to hurt the United States.