Heritage energy and environment expert Nick Loris had the following to say this afternoon after President Donald Trump announced that the United States will begin withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement:

"President Trump has demonstrated resolute leadership in his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. Without any impact on global temperatures, Paris was the open door for egregious regulation, cronyism, and government spending that would have been as disastrous for the American economy as it is proving to be for those in Europe. Heritage analysts projected that this agreement would have raised energy prices, killed jobs and cost the average family of four $20,000 by 2035. It’s the exact opposite of the 'Make America Great Again”' agenda Pres. Trump promised to pursue. Au revoir to the Paris agreement indeed."

“A word of caution – any attempted renegotiation of the Paris accords must achieve measurable environmental gains, not cause economic harm, and should not spend a penny subsidizing energy technologies or transferring wealth to other countries.”

Additionally, Heritage’s founder and acting-President Ed Feulner praised the move and the work Heritage’ scholars have been doing on this critical issue:

“This is a welcome decision from President Trump and a commonsense approach that helps the American people and businesses. Heritage experts have long been ringing the alarm bell of the damaging effects staying in the Paris Climate Agreement would have on our economy. From lost jobs, higher electric bills, or more overzealous government regulations, the Paris Agreement was by all accounts a rotten deal.

“Thanks to their rigorous research and work they have brought us to the point we are at today and it serves as a great testament to the impact Heritage scholars continue to have on the nation’s most important policy debates.”