G7 Summit Ends Without Agreement on Climate Change

A summit of Group of Seven nations ended on Saturday without unanimous agreement on climate change, as U.S. President Trump said he’d need more time to decide whether to remain in the Paris climate deal. The decision reportedly left European diplomats frustrated, though the final statement from the meeting said world leaders were “understanding” about the U.S. need for further review. “The entire discussion about climate was very difficult, if not to say very dissatisfying,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters after the summit. “There are no indications whether the United States will stay in the Paris Agreement or not,” she said. Trump, who has been under scrutiny by environmental experts for calling climate change a hoax, took to Twitter after the summit to say he’d make a decision next week on the U.S. commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement. The agreement obliges participating states to pledge to cut carbon emissions in a bid to combat global warming. While Trump failed to make a final decision on climate change, world leaders were reportedly relieved that he approved of a pledge to fight trade protectionism after previously expressing reluctance over the move.