arabia. >> we will discuss something more important than an arms sale. --will discuss whether she whether we should be actively involved. should the united states be actively involved with refueling the saudi planes? with picking targets? with having advisers on the ground? should we be at war in yemen? >> these programs are available -- on the homerg page or by searching the video library. last week the european parliament debated president trump last decision to with raw the u.s. from the paris climate agreement. from strasburg, france.

[no audio] dear colleagues. ae paris agreement has been historical achievement of the international community. first ever global commitment to address climate change and its consequences.

decision byret the ,he united states of america administration, to withdraw from this agreement -- our long-standing commitment and determination for global action on climate change must not relent. europeans, we will not miss the opportunity that the paris agreement represents for our citizens, our planet, our economy. taking this global challenge, working with industries for new investments and technologies and more sustainable growth and jobs. european parliament has been at the forefront of climate action within the european union.

today, there is an important vote on this. growth -- certification and entry into force. we must be proud of this achievement. we must also continue to work with the united states, its companies, it cities, and states, on other fronts. we have set ourselves the most ambitious target in the world. strengthening, showing we are awaret -- of this global agreement. as we are able to forge a strong alliance between european and developed countries. and developing countries. .his is fundamental

the europeannk commission for the strong engagement on this issue. in which the nations of the world, big and small, united to defend a higher cause. today we have the honor to have , theus mrs. hilda president of the republic of the thehall islands and share ambition of the coalition. madam president, you know very well the effects of climate change, especially in the most vulnerable. this is about most importance for us did mrs. president, you have the floor. -- this is most important for us. this is president you have the floor. [no audio]

>> thank you. i bring warm greetings from the people and government of the republic of the marshall islands. indeed a great honor and privilege to address you today. ladies and gentlemen, i come from a country whose beauty is as breast taking -- is as breathtaking, as it is vulnerable. our ancestors refer to our island as a gift from god. midway between australia and the united states, the marshall islands comprises more than 1000 within 29 different

chains. often no wider than a road. while our territory mostly is about our population is 50,000. smaller than this beautiful city. it would seem that my country and yours could hardly be further apart or more different. but there is much that we have level,on on a personal some of my ancestry is european. german to be specific. on a national level, we are strongly committed to liberal democracy, to human rights, and the human law -- and the rule of law. like the eu my country believes in a multilateral approach to solving group -- global problems.

the greatest of these is the battle against climate change. we are all born liberal to climate. no one can escape. the marshall islands is on the front lines. you see the ocean in my country wherever you stand. with an average elevation of two meters above sea level, we have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. --droughtse become have become more sea -- frequent. one of my first acts as president was to declare a state of disaster because of an unseasonal and prolonged drought. we have three weeks of freshwater left. at the same time we were on high alert. the drought lasted seven months

and cost us nearly 3.5 million euros. typhoon before that, a wiped away more than 3% of our economy. the year before that, many of our people were left homeless by a single tied. climate changee. is not a hoax. this is what the everyday struggle looks like. cousins,acific island the ocean is our lifeblood. it is becoming the cause of our nightmares, through no fault of ours. unless the world keeps its promise to pursue efforts to limit temperature rates to know more than 1.5 degrees celsius, my country and others, risk becoming completely uninhabitable before the century ends.

the current geopolitical situation would seem to make achieving the 1.5 degrees limit more challenging than this time last year. in 18 months or so since the historic paris agreement was reached, the world seems to have been turned upside down more than once. the leader of the world's largest historical contributor to climate change has announced that he wants to leave the paris agreement. in my view, that decision was misguided. it was also disappointing and confusing for those of us that have long believed in the importance of u.s. global leadership. this is particularly so for my country. a long time committed ally and friend. thehe three years before u.s. can legally withdraw we all have a duty to work together to convince president trump of the

importance of climate action. we have compelling arguments and evidence to help change hearts and minds. optimisticthat i am and so are my people. i have come here today to explain why and to ask for your help. the paris agreement that we all fought so hard to achieve is a balance, fair, and durable agreement. it is a endorsement of multilateralism. it will stand the test of time. gives countries flexibility to determine their own contributions towards fighting climate change in the context of collective science. the agreement will bring countries together every five years to take stock of progress

towards achieving those goals with a view to raising ambition. the agreement provides for transparency and accountability and sets out provisions leading to means of implementation. importantly, the agreement recognizes that the national circumstances of countries must be considered in its implementation. it took us over 20 years to achieve the paris agreement. we can do better. we do not have the luxury of more time. the agreement is not open to written note -- to reap renegotiation. almost 50 countries have joined the agreement. including more than a quarter of the g 20, since the u.s. election. no one else is walking away.

they are doing the opposite. some have joined in the last few days. i have been overwhelmed in recent weeks by the widespread global support and commitment to the paris agreement, including leaders, governments, cities, regions, and business communities, and individuals. i commend italy for its climate leadership in the g7. i expect no less of germany in the g 20. such collective act of leadership are critical and must not fall by the wayside. apart from the moral case for climate action, the economic case is undeniable. highlights in no any delayterms that in climate action is bad for the economy. growing numbers of

decision-makers at all levels see this. real-world climate action is accelerating and exceeding national targets. who could have predicted only a few years ago that renewable be thewould increasingly cheapest option? climate action simply makes sense at the real level. this realization is resulting in new countries emerging as climate champions, including india and china. we are also seeing countries come together to find new ways to push the boundaries of climate ambition. the coalition which my country established with the european union and others was key to reaching the deal in paris. that coalition, which bridges traditional economics and

geopolitical divides is now working towards the full implementation of the paris agreement and the creation of the political space needed for deeper and faster climate action. in september of next year, my country will take over leadership of the climate vulnerable for him. a group of 48 -- the climate rum. we can dofo that and so can you. at the national level we are seeing an unstoppable swell of commitment to climate action. the 2050es include platform, mission 2020. , and 40 group of cities that we mean business coalition. , cities,s from states

and businesses in the last week is to be welcomed and so is the direct engagement of european nations with them. as the un's secretary-general recently stated, "the climate action train has truly left the station." but for a country like mind there is an urgent time imperative. a cost effective path to achieving the 1.5 degree limit requires stopping global omissions before 2020. and the rapid acceleration of climate action before 2020. going towards net zero emissions in the second half of the century. this rapid decarbonization is possible but requires unprecedented levels of leadership. once again, the world is looking

to europe. thankfully, you have good track records. from the kyoto protocol and delivering on its implementation to securing mandates that led to the paris agreement, ensuring , including itself bringing into force in record time, europe has been at the center of it all. in paris, it was the marshall islands and the european union that march arm in arm with others into the historic agreement. with that in mind, i pay tribute , and othert unger european leaders and ministers over the years for their commitment. they are true climate warriors. as are many of you who grace this chamber and others around

the world. domestically, europe is demonstrating that economic growth and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases are both possible and are mutually reinforcing. your groundbreaking legislation and policies are being emulated by others around the world. , and implementation, you are turning this into reality and beginning to put in place what is needed to deliver on your paris promises. the eu and its member states together provide 40% of all global public climate finance. the eu is also the biggest provider of technical climate assistance to developing countries. is thertant example partnership.

has helpedry, the eu to soul arise more than 90% 90% of ouralmost outer islands. the money is being put to good use. i say thank you for your leadership and your example. mightforward, what climate leadership from europe look like? will come up with a 2050 strategy to reduce emissions to achieve the 1.5 limit. i have already committed my country to doing so. in 2018 the world will come together to assess progress and come forward with new

determined contributions in 2020. the eu must approach this dialogue open to the possibility of raising its ambition as a result. not stay within 1.5 degrees unless europe and others move before 2020 to raise ambition. i am pleased to see president macron has already committed france to doing even more and welcoming similar statements by prime minister of india and others. this is exactly the race to the top we need. the 2018 dialogue together with the climate action summit which california plans to host next september, and the un's secretary-general climate summit of world leaders in 2019, are the three biggest political moments we have before the end of this decade to push the cost

of increased climate ambition. europe will be at the center of these. working with countries and others around the world to ensure for their -- and further climate action by all. to five-year move international targets. ten-year targets risk blocking responsived are less to the latest science and technological developments. fourth, the european union must continue to push ambitious climate action in all relevant forms and sectors, including shipping omissions, and ensuring environmental integrity, reducing aviation omissions. it will also be important to .ush for the amendments

as soon as possible. my country has already ratified the amendment. sustaineddge the leadership of micronesia for this important cause. also lead the world in mainstreaming climate action to deliver the sustainable development goals, including in relation to oceans. i pay tribute to our pacific cousins from fiji as well as sweden for their leadership. all pacific islands are also extremely proud that fiji will represent us when it leads the , the firstp 23 island climate summit. finally, ongoing leadership of the eu on climate finance, in particular, for the most vulnerable countries will be critical. support for implementation by

developing countries is a crucial part of the paris agreement. to stope u.s. position funding presents a problem. its alloys -- and and its allies can help. -- an even greater focus by the eu on the pacific region is urgently needed. in concluding, i note that some people, maybe even some in this room, think that it is impossible to achieve the goals we agreed in paris. countryto say, that my cannot be saved. explain howible to it feels as the leader of my people, to see reports or commentary that forecasts the oblivion of our homeland.

our gift from god. experiencedand forced relocation and migration of my fellow citizens to other parts of the marshall islands of beyond as a consequence the testing of nuclear weapons. the responsibility my generation has to leave to our children and to their children and grandchildren, the marshall islands as a secure place to call home, weighs heavily. failure is not an option. as our young climate warriors put it, we are not drowning. we are fighting. i think i speak for all of my pacific sisters and brothers when i say that. by working together, the marshall islands, the european have, and many others achieved the impossible before.

we will achieve it again. because we must. leadership, past, present, and future, i say thank you very much. [applause] >> thank you very much, mrs. president. the president of the marshall

islands is with us. it is important to know our position and we want to be at the center of climate change. we start with the first speech on the council, minister. you have the floor. >> thank you. presidents and commissioners. the recent announcement by president donald trump to with draw the united states from the paris agreement on climate is a highly regrettable one. the announcement is in line with -- on environmental regulation. existingolling back of climate programs and the weakening of international climate commitments. the decision to withdraw has been taken in the face of many convincing arguments.

the support of the new international framework and its by thecture, international community and businesses and other stakeholders. unfortunately at this point, the details of the u.s. approach are still unclear. however, what has become evident now is the fact that the u.s. , to the global responsibility held by the european union, as the key supporter of a rules-based, multilateral system. let me stress here that the eu is committed to lead with ambitious climate policies and through our committed support to the poor and vulnerable. ladies and gentlemen, the paris agreement is fit for purpose. it is ambitious yet not prescriptive.

with its flexible architecture, it constitutes an international framework which encourages countries to widen the options of contributing to the goals of preventing climate change which threatens global development, peace, and stability. therefore, the council is committed to ensuring that the eu's significant contributions of the paris agreement and for the design of all the elements of the paris outcome. our goal should be to minimize the consequences of the u.s. decision on the effectiveness and credibility of the climate framework. the eu will also continue to betweenthe convergence intergovernmental negotiations

and implementation agendas. this includes the conversion of countries nationally determined contribution goals into concrete policies and actions. honorable members, the council continues its work on the completion of the internal legislative and regulatory framework of the union which is necessary to deliver our paris target of reducing economy wide byssions by at least 40% 2030. on june 19, the environmental council will hold an exchange of ,iews on the effort, sharing and land-use change, forestry commissions proposals. we hope to finalize the provisions and to start our

negotiations as soon as possible. followingition president trump's decision to withdraw the u.s. will also be discussed during the first council meeting on june 19. thank you. [applause] dali.nk you minister the president of the european commission. >> thank you. members, when i just the paris conference in november, 2015, i saw the world united around a simple goal. to hand over to future generations a healthier planet, more stable society, and modern economies.

thanks to the negotiations, in chief officerthe of the european union, a historic deal was made to save our one and only home. doing justice to its traditional name, the gift from god, the marshall islands took action, becoming one of the first to ratify the paris agreement. of the president is a reminder of the need for action, it is a matter of survival. international -- in the marshall islands. mrs. president, we will work to help your country. a denier ofallow the very few to be the end of days of the marshall islands.

unfortunately not everyone in the world sees the true effects. the withdrawal of the united states from the paris agreement is more, it is a sign of abdication from common action for the fate of our planet. we are disappointed and we thist the decision but will not mean the end of the agreement. it will make the world more united and determined to work towards a full implementation of the paris agreement. notpean union will renegotiate the paris agreement. [applause] the 29 articles of the agreement must be implemented and not renegotiated. climate action does not need more distractions.

we have spent 10 years negotiating. now is the time for action. now is the time for implementation. i see the strength and resolve from all those who care about the future of the planet and to see the opportunities of the modern economy. this includes partners within the united states, such as california, washington, new york , which taken together would be the world's support. the european union will step up our diplomacy and cooperation with other partners. climate action was a key topic of the china summit on the second of june. , there will be a major gathering with the chinese to accelerate the green energy transition. we are also reaching out to our partners in the african union.

we adopted joint statements expressing our common resolve and we will work hard to have a clear message coming out of the g 20 summit in july. committed to world the impacties know of climate change. u.s. going back leaves a major void. from our side we stand firm to our commitments. countries towith mobilize the right public and private investments. you can count on the efforts of the commission to keep the momentum behind paris implementation. we hope to count on your support to make the european union's commitments a reality and make swift progress on all commissions proposals related. when we ratify the paris

agreement in record speed, this house showed its commitment to climate action. we need to keep the same spirit more than ever. thank you. [applause] thank you very much, mr. president. now, the president of the european party group here and you have the floor. madam president, i wanted to start by saying we are honored by your presence here today. we give you a warm welcome. decision,d trump's there is a simple question -- how do we deal with facts? reality? majority of american citizens say that climate change is reality. it is clear to us that the

changes coming, it will be big and genetic. the question is how we can -- it will be big and traumatic. we will work with others to become the driving force to make the paris agreement possible. are not going to simply sit back and accept the exit of the usa. is, howtion in the room do we respond right now? we respond with frustration to developments in the u.s. of course but if you sit back and think for a few moments, it increases how we want to pursue the objective. it is important for future generations, because we know, is the boost for modernizing our economy. even american companies like exxon are saying that we should not give up efforts to combat

climate change because there is a great opportunity for them so that the economy can take charge of dealing with this transformation. to go trump is deciding against the wish of his own citizens. he will not create a single new job with these decisions. donald trump with this decision, is taking a huge, historical wrong step. american selfishness, america first, is all about cutting off relations. --maybe we should stock up maybe we should talk about europe instead. working partnership and together and trying to solve problems together. that is why europe needs a less america first and a bit more europe first. [applause] >> thank you very much. thank you.

dr., thank you very much. you talked about the beauty and vulnerability of the marshall islands. i think it is a wonderful gomple of what we could towards. we are faced with a very stark choice. do we go towards beauty, security for the planet, or do we go towards disaster. tweeting.mp likes and with one tweet who knows what he could do. i did not think there could be anyone worse than george w. bush. from badwe seem to go to worse. look at the future of the planet -- it is up to us to come

together as progressives, .orldwide need to come together as a european grouping we need to come together and take stock nongovernmental possibilities for organization so that we can get together and stop the trump disaster in its tracks. europe needs to build. europe, as it has in the past, in previous years, when we built the single market, we had a name and we achieved it. we need a grand aim now. we should not be naive. we need to look reality in the face. trump wants to reduce the cost of u.s. production that is basically what he wants to do. that is unfair competition. we need countermeasures. we should be thinking about imposing duties. we should be thinking about what we can do to tackle this.

when you are faced with unfair competition you have to do something to fight act. we want to preserve life, beauty, health for our children and grandchildren across the whole world. mr. pitella. >> we have a lot of the agenda today. neither i nor vice president's will be giving blue cards today. -- >> thank you very much. thank you madam president for coming here today. for your clear leadership and inspiration. for those of us who have struggled a bit with how to address donald trump, what tone to adopt towards him? after all he is the legitimately elected world leader -- he is

now solved my problem. i'm very happy to publicly and loudly say that his action is reckless, myopic, and irresponsible. it has made even more now knowble that we that he has decided that climate change is real. he stopped his denying of it. he says it is real and his ambassador to the u.n., nikki haley, has confirmed that. that makes his decision even more contemptible. he is not even pretending anymore that he doesn't believe in climate change. he has aan see that complete misunderstanding of the paris agreement and what the obligations are under that agreement. he seems to think it will be giving the u.s. industry an unfair position and totally ignoring the fact that it gives the u.s. a huge amount of flexibility in how they deal hit making sure that they

obligations. terms, what the u.s. is being asked under paris is still way underperforming europe and many of the member states in europe. thatems even more the case donald should be asked where he gets his information and advice from. with higher per capita emissions than the world average, the u.s. has a moral duty to significantly reduce emissions and ensure that average temperatures remained below two degrees celsius. the next human clive -- the next human caused climate disaster should be named after them because that will be his legacy. [applause] >> thank you.

now, mrs., you have the floor. >> thank you mr. president. threat. not the only thank you for coming to talk to as madam president. climate change skeptics in the u.k. also threaten european global protection. the british elections delivered a disastrous result. mrs. may battles on. she has appointed a new environment secretary, mr. michael gove. he has a shocking record. he wanted to get climate change off school curriculums. he voted to sell off all of england's publicly owned forests and woodlands. he is voted 12 times against measures to event climate change including opposing limits on greenhouse gas emissions. he it supports fracking and

drilling in national parks. homes for refitting carbon locks. to quote a past colleague of lucas,,"e, caroline michael gove is an environmental disaster waiting to happen." he stated he had had enough of experts. frankly the public has had enough of him. just as a president trump. colleagues please be tough during the brexit negotiations when it comes to the environment. as you will be with mr. trump. needte deniers like gove to know they have international treaties they cannot evade. he will try to slip and slide on environmental agreements. given the election results last week it remains to be seen whether the u.k. will actually leave the eu. u.s.,k., just like the must fulfill its and

environmental obligations. this does not stop at borders. our planet is interlinked when it comes to the most vulnerable states on the planet. we must work together to protect it. and herek., the usa, driven by the european union. thank you much. [applause] now for the green left. >> thank you, mr. president. dear colleagues and madam president, thank you for coming and for your words. donald trump has decided to withdraw from the climate accord of paris. apparently he would like to go back to the middle ages when a scientifically verifiable facts were denied on a daily basis. unfortunately in spite of all

his tweets, climate change is unstoppable. as we have heard today, the nation and states are threatened by this process that brings about rising sea levels and harsh droughts. cost much andes may trigger immigration waves of much cost. this might seem banal in comparison. what mr. trump wants to do, he has not said. he wants to be an unrestrained ruler over a wasteland. it is reckless with no protection of environment. for example, palm oil in indonesia. we have to show the world our unity and determination and the right way forward. chair of the green group. thank you very much, madam

president, for coming today and for telling us about the impact of climate change in the most affected areas. wean only reassure you that will work very hard indeed to get us to do more to fight against climate change. likewise, theyd support the paris agreement and they think that mr. trump's decision is wrong. i do not think that is enough. it is not enough to criticize. to take the moral ground. the objectives we have committed to and we have heard about from the commission are based on an optimistic scenario. they are not a guarantee that if we keep things below two degrees , islands such as yours, that is not enough. we have got to keep it below 1.5 degrees.

only then will these islands have a possibility of surviving. we need to do more. we europeans, we are the third-largest emitter of co2. we have the ability and responsibility and the technology to do something about climate change. countries the poorest in the world. far from it. we have got to do something we can show leadership and be in the vanguard in contributing to , weming climate change trump washlet mr. his hands. say to future generations, we couldn't do more because mr. trump did not want to play along. also the parliament and

member state governments and i'm particularly thinking of, german government -- we need to do more. germany is also a huge polluter. what about rules on car emissions? look at those details. these don't fit in with playing a leadership role. we have got an opportunity. efficiency, to generate real jobs, jobs for the future. it requires political courage. we have to show that. the planet cannot wait for us. we cannot live without the planet. we cannot live without a climate that allows survival. let's do something. thank you. [applause] >> thank you very much, the president of the marshall for yourthank you engagement and your speech.

thank you for the cooperation with the european union. we of the parliament support your position. thank you very much. [applause] [no audio] >> so colleagues we continue the debate and i now give the floor for one minute. thank you very much. some calculations that have come from the united states -- we could have 1.4 million tons of co2 released as a result in 2020, that will damage the economy and agriculture. these are huge numbers and we cannot pretend nothing is happening. this is the fourth industrial revolution.

the 2030 agenda, the paris agreement -- this is the ideal place for us to plan for a more sustainable future. union has got responsibilities, two people and to less developed countries around the world. it is now time for us to take a scientific and technological terms to increase investments in the sector. this is the europe of diesel gate and the financing of fossil , so whatough the acb we need first is a change of the political climate. >> thank you, i now give the floor for one minute. >> microphone. ladies and gentlemen, there are defenders of the

climate. cars withpensive -- look at what the european parliament really does. we fly all over the world to discuss. that is fantastic. but if it is usa bashing, trump bashing, the hypocrisy knows no limits. look at this climate agreement. mansanto was at the table. so was the nuclear lobby. at the end of the day it is basically for us, promoting renewables -- what about that? please be honest about climate change, nature protection. please stop the hypocrisy. thank you. [applause] >> for one minute.

president trump's decision to take the u.s. out of the paris agreement has given rise to worldwide reactions. the president of goldman sachs was not particularly known for caring about the environment previously but he has condemned it as well. my own view is that the paris agreement has very little in terms of legally binding elements and ensuring signatories implemented is very didn't -- is very difficult. 2020 that we will be reaching a stage where we depend on the u.s. to do this. states have artie said they will do this. -- states have already said they will do this. economy, in the green economic sectors, business will do that. i am not so concerned about that.

what i'm concerned of is the possibility of europe then saying, let's offset the u.s. limits on, and put up our own economies. talking about customs duties to deal with unfair competition from the u.s., i hope that he will be sharing the same view in other circumstances. >> colleagues, i have to be strict on time. madam president, your passionate speech, president of the marshall islands, calling on us for action. is we will can give not regret -- we will not renegotiate the paris agreement. we will make all the efforts needed to keep political momentum behind the paris implementation. the implementation of the

agreement domestically requires that this house has full support in moving ahead in making the european communion -- the european union commitment a reality. there is no stronger statement --can make about progress the legislation, as well is clean energy for all europeans. when we ratified the paris agreement, this house saw its commitment to climate action. we need to give the same spirit now, more than ever. internationally, we have to implement paris working closely with our allies with ambition and determination. clearly stated, we have to keep working with the united states, which is much more than the federal government. the united states, the decision

to withdraw, threatens those who care for the future of the planet. and you understand the economic opportunities. hundreds of united states governors, states attorneys, ceos, and others pledged to the united nations to achieve and uphold america's commitment to the agreement. we are still in. want to contribute. up the infrastructure for clean energy. in the united states climate alliance, california is joined by nine other states. it is clear that we will continue to have great partners within the united states even if the federal government decides to stay on the side of the road.

we will step up our climate diplomacy. this was a key topic of the european summit on june 2. our relationship with china is stepping up a gear. in september there will be a major gathering where ministers will talk and canada about the implementation of paris and accelerate their positions. finally, my last remark to this house is that the world's reaction to president trump's action prove that the european union is on the right side of history. our path is clear. let us keep our resolve. thank you. [applause] >> thank you, commissioner. now back to the council. >> thank you. thank you for your interventions and despite the u.s. decision to leave, i'm encouraged by your

support for full implementation of the paris agreement and continued leadership this debate is now closed. send the briefing before our next formal debate. colleagues, thank you for the debate. fromday, we would hear general joseph dunford about the u.s. strategy for dealing with isis in north -- with isis, electronic, and terrorism. we will have that coming up today at 1:00 p.m. eastern time on c-span.

then, we will talk about the efforts to replace the current health care law with two representatives. they will be speaking at a forum hosted by bloomberg live on c-span. the senate will gavel in at 4:00 p.m. eastern time considering the nomination of brock long to be the director of fema. democrats plan to hold the senate floor until past midnight tonight as committee meetings still have yet to be held on the health care bill. you can watch the action on the senate floor when it convenes at 4:00 p.m. eastern time and throughout the night on c-span two. on the other side of the capital, the house returns for a four-day work week. electionstwo special on tuesday for georgia and one for south carolina. on wednesday, montana's

representative elect will be sworn in. , the houseslation will debate several homeland security and workforce related bills. you can watch the house live on c-span. >> recently on c-span, new orleans mayor on the decision to remove the confederate statue of robert ely. >> -- robert ely. lee.bert e. partcause of new orleans' in that tragic part of our nations history, i felt that i and several of us in the city felt we had a special responsibility to help our community move through racial discourse.