During his first media interview in Samoa, although the new Ambassador assured about the U.S. support to develop Pacific countries like Samoa, he wasn’t as confident when he was asked about Trump and climate change.

 “I don't believe that the President has closed the door on Paris,” said Mr. Brown. “He has felt that we’re not getting a fair deal paying billions of dollars.”

According to Mr. Brown, the U.S.A has “spent billions and billions dollars” and they “have been innovators for the last 50 years on these very important issues.” 

“We have all of the above approaches. We have wind, solar, nuclear, hydro, geo thermos … we’re not going to stop doing any of those things just because we did not sign on in an agreement in Paris,” he said.

“We believe there’s an opportunity to continue those company to company innovations as well as country to country innovations.” 

In 2015, America had signed the Paris Agreement under former President Barack Obama. But in President Trump announced the United States would withdraw from the deal.

“In order to fulfill my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens, the United States will withdraw from the Paris climate accord,” Trump said in a statement from the White House Rose Garden. 

The move by Trump has been strongly criticized by Pacific Leaders – including Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi.

Back to Mr. Brown, he highlighted the importance of the good relationship between the U.S.A and China. 

But he accused China of destroying the coral reefs.

 “I know they are doing things in this region, it’s great and it’s important,” he said. “We have been doing them for over a century in our relationship with Samoa. We’ve been here since World War II obviously doing some wonderful things and we will continue to do that.”

He said China has completely “decimated corals, dumped concrete destroying sea life, destroyed the reefs that are quite frankly exceedingly vital to the survival in this part of the world.”

Read more at Samoa Observer