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Greenhouse gas emissions reach limits posing risk to world’s energy system

Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the US decided to quit the agreement

ST PETERSBURG, June 2. /TASS/. Emissions of greenhouse gases have reached their limits and are posing a risk for development of the world’s energy system, Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev told Rossiya’24 TV channel on sidelines of the 2017 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday.

"Nowadays, emissions of greenhouse gasses have reached their limits. This amount of greenhouse emissions poses a risk for the further development of the world’s entire energy system," he said.

Commenting on US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, Likhachev pointed out that in spite of US membership, the other nations would abide support for the transition to "green economies" in line with the accord.

The Paris agreement on climate change was adopted on December 12, 2015, following the results of a conference in the French capital. A total of 195 participants in the forum agreed on preventing average temperatures on Earth from rising by more than 2 degrees Celsius by 2100 compared to the pre-industrial epoch.

At a summit at the UN headquarters on April 22, 2016, 175 states, including Russia, Germany, India, China and the United States signed the climate change deal.

Under the agreement, the United States undertook to cut emissions by 26-28% by 2025 over 2005 levels. US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday the US would quit the agreement.

The 2017 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF2017) is held in the Russian second-biggest city on June 1-3. TASS news agency is a general information partner and official photo-host agency. Besides, TASS is the operator at the forum’s presentation area.