Climate change deal, crucial for planet sustainability

By Ebru Sengul & Huseyin Erdogan

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Paris Climate change agreement is a matter for all oil and gas companies and U.S. is expected to revise its position towards Paris Agreement, Patrick Pouyanne, chairman and CEO of Total said on Tuesday.

Speaking to the journalists on the sidelines of 22nd World Petroleum Congress, of which Anadolu Agency is the global communication partner, Pouyanne said the Paris agreement is crucial for the sustainability of the planet, he asserted. Therefore, it is a matter for everybody including all oil and gas companies, he added.

Signed by 195 countries in April 2016, the Paris agreement intends to mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing carbon emissions and limiting global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius.

"Since the end of last year, it has been adopted and has been signed by many countries. It is important that all those countries remain within that framework," Pouyanne said, expressing his hopes that the U.S. would revise its position.

The U.S. pulled out of the historic accord in June aimed at combating climate change, breaking with the overwhelming majority of the world's countries.

"I think we have Europe, we have China, we have India, they are really committed. All of these three regions represent more than 50 percent of the emissions," Pouyanne declared.

"For me, this is a long-term strategy and is very important," he concluded.