President Obama’s trip to Cuba will lead to greater collaboration between the two nations on tackling the threat of climate change, the White House said Monday.
“Cooperative action to address this challenge is more critical than ever,” the White House said. “The United States welcomes opportunities to work with Cuba to enhance our bilateral cooperation on climate change, and also work together to play a positive role in addressing this urgent global challenge through international fora.”
The administration also says both countries “recognize the threats posed by climate change,” including impacts from sea-level rise, “the alarming acidification of our oceans, and the striking incidence of extreme weather events,” the White House added in a fact sheet outlining where the two countries intend to collaborate.
The administration says both countries intend to sign the non-binding global climate deal agreed to in Paris last December. “The United States and Cuba intend to sign and join the Paris Agreement as soon as feasible this year,” the White House said.
“The United States will also work with Cuba to pursue cooperation in the areas of disaster risk reduction, addressing ocean acidification, advancing climate-smart agriculture, and sharing best practices and lessons learned through international initiatives focused on adaptation and low emissions development,” the fact sheet added.
The U.S. also took the step of formally inviting Cuba to join an energy summit in early May in Washington, D.C., of all Caribbean and Central American countries to be chaired by Vice President Joe Biden. “The Energy Summit focuses on enhancing energy security, regional cooperation, renewable integration, and coordination of international partners,” the White House said.
