Guest essay by Eric Worrall

A senior member of the Chinese dictatorship has demanded that Donald Trump renege on his commitment to the American People to tear up the Paris Climate Agreement, if he wins the Presidency.

China criticises Donald Trump’s plan to exit Paris climate deal

In a rare comment on a foreign election, veteran climate chief says a wise political leader should make policy in line with global trends.

China on Tuesday rejected a plan by US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to back out of a global climate change pact, saying a wise political leader should make policy in line with global trends, a rare comment on a foreign election.

The world is moving towards balancing environmental protection and economic growth, China’s top climate change negotiator told reporters, in response to a query on how China would work with a Trump administration on climate change.“If they resist this trend, I don’t think they’ll win the support of their people, and their country’s economic and social progress will also be affected,” Xie Zhenhua said.

“I believe a wise political leader should take policy stances that conform with global trends,” China’s veteran climate chief said.

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Xie’s comments come as China plans to launch a national carbon trading scheme in 2017.

The scheme is on track and pilot programmes have already traded 120m carbon allowances with total transactions amounting to 3.2bn yuan ($472.29m), he added.

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