Donald Trump’s daughter caused outrage after claiming in tweet that under her father’s Administration the greenhouse gas emissions dropped significantly. The coronavirus lockdowns introduced in the US led to the country’s greenhouse gas emissions dropping by a 9.2 percent, a new study from private research body Bloomberg New Energy Finance revealed.
In a tweet shared to her official Twitter account, Ms Trump wrote: “FACT: Greenhouse gases generated by the US will slide 9.2 percent this year, tumbling to the lowest level in at least three decades. @EPA.”
CNN Anchor Jack Tapper replied to Ms Trump’s claims, saying it had been largely due to the coronavirus health crisis.
He wrote: “This is largely because of the pandemic and the economic catastrophe it wrought.”
Ms Trump then quoted his tweet arguing that “US CO2 emissions in 2019 were the lowest they have been since 1992”.
She added: “Per capita emissions were lower in 2019 than they’ve been at any time since at least 1950.”
Other social media users sided with Mr Tapper, highlighting that the coronavirus pandemic had played a big part in reducing CO2 emissions.
One Twitter user said: “We have been unable to go the places where we wanted because of your father’s failed COVID-19 response.
“When people are shut up in their homes and don’t drive to work or school or out for entertainment. I would be surprised if emissions had not go down.”
One person tweeted: “You are now specifying the very reason why it would have been very wise to stick to the Paris Agreement instead of giving it up. I thought you were intelligent Ivanka!!!”
The Paris Agreement, was signed in 2015 by parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
It outlines key actions to be taken in order to tackle climate change and achieve a reduction in carbon emissions.
Despite some opposition from officials in his administration, Mr Trump announced the US’s withdrawal from the accord in his first year of presidency in 2017.
However, Mr Trump’s decision to pull out from the accord was not fulfilled until this month.
The withdrawal sparked fresh fears of tensions with US’ European and Asian allies, but President-elect Joe Biden has vowed to re-enter the accord as soon as he is sworn in.
He confirmed his intention to re-join the pact in a tweet sent earlier on November 5 as it was revealed the US had left it.
He wrote: “Today, the Trump Administration officially left the Paris Climate Agreement. And in exactly 77 days, a Biden Administration will rejoin it.”