Commenting on the withdrawal of the USA from the Paris Climate agreement, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said

"There are no jobs on a dead planet."

"The whole world has to tackle this existential threat together. There is no putting any country first. After years of negotiations it is deeply disappointing to see the USA withdraw from the Paris agreement. Ultimately however it is the USA which will lose out. Europe and Asia will be the world leaders in clean energy and green economy if President Trump wants the US to be stuck in a last-century fossil fuel economy."

"I urge EU leaders to keep their commitment to fight climate change, and I am encouraged by their initial response to president Trump's ill-informed announcement."

"The challenge facing world leaders is to tackle climate change in a way that creates quality jobs through investment, innovation and strong public services, enabling working people and industrial regions to make the transition in a just and fair way."