Is France Ready for a New Climate Deal?

On a trans-Atlantic call Tuesday morning, French President Emmanuel Macron made a surprise invitation to President Trump to visit Paris next month and join in the Bastille Day celebration on July 14.

Speculation ran wild that this was a sign the French President was ready to at discuss Trump’s suggestion that the United States negotiate a new Paris climate change agreement. Trump called for renegotiation of the Paris agreement after announcing earlier this month that the United States was withdrawing from the current agreement.

Trump told Macron that his schedule was uncertain, but he would consider the invitation. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, however, urged the president to go.

Perry spoke to reporters at the White House hours after Trump’s phone conversation with Macron. When asked by Newsmax if he felt this was an opening to negotiate a new Paris climate change agreement, Perry replied: “I would always look at an invitation to a party as a good thing.”

At first glance, the invitation appeared unusual. Macron and Trump did not get on well during their first meeting at the G-7 meeting in Sicily, where Macron made international headlines following his prolonged grip when shaking hands with Trump.

Earlier this month, Macron denounced Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate change accord as a “mistake.” Speaking in English, Macron called on American scientists and entrepreneurs who believe in climate change to relocate to Paris.

Perry again invoked Macron when he was asked if he could assure the American people that nuclear waste and nuclear plant safety are safe enough that we should expand nuclear power in this country.

“You know, I would deflect that — if he was here — to President Macron of France, who gets 70-plus percent of their power from nuclear energy,” Perry said.

The former Texas governor went on to point out that the French “wouldn’t buy Texas beef for some reason, yet 76 percent of their energy comes from nuclear power.”   

He added, “Our French friends are very comfortable getting 76 percent, or thereabouts, of their energy from nuclear power, and I can assure you they’re very fond of getting it at the rate they’re getting it.”