German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other European leaders made plans this week for the upcoming world leader summit in Hamburg, focusing on climate change, reports The Guardian. After President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the landmark Paris Climate Agreement of 2015, Merkel announced Germany’s renewed pledge to fight climate change. With the G20 global summit approaching in Hamburg, Merkel hopes to put climate issues at center stage. The Chancellor met with other European leaders this week, including France’s newly elected Emmanuel Macron, to prepare for the summit.
Hoping to band the European Union states together, Merkel and Macron look to confront President Trump with a unified front. But Europe has its own differences when it comes to the refugee crisis, and President Trump has zeroed in on that as his main concern. Heading into next week’s summit, Merkel hopes to debate both, but make climate change the central issue.