World must stick to climate goals despite US, UK envoy says

By Tim Cocks

PRETORIA (Reuters) - The world must carry on pursuing the greenhouse gas emissions reductions outlined in the Paris Agreement, despite the United States' withdrawal, Britain's climate envoy said on Thursday, adding that the UK was moving ahead with its targets.

Last month U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the world's second biggest emitter from the agreement that aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit).

"Around the world people are noting that the U.S. has pulled out of Paris, but we've got to carry on," Rachel Kyte told Reuters in an interview on a visit to South Africa's capital Pretoria. "The science hasn't changed, no other country has changed its position ... the direction of travel is the same."

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Monday called pledges to achieve net zero carbon emissions a "sinister goal," singling out Britain for its clean energy targets.

"(Britain's) energy security ... food security, and the well being of the British people is entirely linked to the (world's) ability ... to manage this climate crisis," Kyte said.

"So it's regrettable that the United States is out ... but we're moving ahead," she said.

Britain's decision this month to use its National Wealth Fund for defence spending has raised fears of reduced funds for green energy. Kyte said no decisions had been made on how funds will be earmarked.

"It's not a zero-sum game," she said, because the energy transition was being driven by "using public money effectively to crowd in private investments.

The United States is also withdrawing from the Just Energy Transition Partnership to help developing countries including Indonesia, Vietnam and South Africa transition from coal, Reuters reported exclusively on Wednesday.

"It's too early to tell what impact that has, but all the other partners are remaining, and ... deploying capital," which will in turn attract commercial investment, Kyte said.

(Reporting by Tim Cocks; editing by Barbara Lewis)