The European Union has described the US announcement to withdraw from the Paris Agreement as a sad day for the global community as a key partner turns its back on the fight against climate change.

The EU's Climate Action and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias CañeteCommissioner said the EU “deeply regrets” the unilateral decision by the Trump administration to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement, commenting:

“The Paris Agreement is fit for purpose. … The Paris Agreement allows each Party to forge its own path to contributing to the goals of preventing dangerous climate change. So there is room for the US to chart its own course within the Paris Agreement.”

To date 195 countries have signed the Paris Agreement and committed to meeting the Paris goals.

The decision by Donald Trump to pull back from the agreement has been met by widespread criticism.

Martin Baxter, Chief Policy Advisor at sustainability body the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment, said the decision of the US Government to unilaterally withdraw from the UN Paris Climate Change Agreement is deplorable and flies in the face of scientific and economic evidence.

John Sauven, Executive Director of Greenpeace UK, said:

“The government that once launched the Apollo space programme and helped found the United Nations has today turned its back on science and international cooperation. By rejecting the Paris agreement Donald Trump has chosen to back the short-term profits of fossil fuel companies over the security, health, and prosperity of hundreds of millions of people in the US and the rest of the world.”

“Theresa May must now publicly distance herself from Trump’s irresponsible move. She owes it to the majority of British people concerned about climate change. She owes it to her own government, which played a crucial role in securing the Paris climate agreement. And she owes it to the next generation, to whom she has promised a healthier environment.”

Michelle Hubert, Head of Energy and Infrastructure at leading British business organisation the CBI said British businesses wanted to see domestic policies that demonstrate commitment to the goal of  delivering a low-carbon economy, commenting:

“As other nations start to play a greater role and increase their ambition, the UK needs a level playing field for carbon costs, so that our energy intensive industries can compete effectively in a global, low-carbon marketplace.”

A statement from Downing Street said Prime Minister Theresa May had expressed her disappointment with the decision and stressed that the UK remained committed to the Paris Agreement.

President Trump called the Prime Minister last night to discuss his decision to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement.

The President has said that that the door remains open to future US involvement in the Agreement.