Former president Mary Robinson has said the United States will become "a rogue state" if it pulls out of the Paris climate change agreement.
Yesterday, the White House said President Donald Trump will not make a decision on whether the United States should remain in the Paris climate agreement until after he returns from the G7 summit on 26 and 27 May.
Speaking at the United Nations in New York, Mrs Robinson said if the US withdrew from the accord it would be "failing in its clear responsibility as one of the largest emitters and historic emitter. And for the problems that have been caused by the disrupted climate in the very poor countries and communities around the world."
She added that "it is unconscionable if the United States pulls out and if the United States stays in but does not support the green climate fund, does not support the IPCC, does not support the commitments that too is unconscionable."
Mrs Robinson, a former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, also spoke of the difficulties faced by refugees and migrants.
She told reporters "it is a shocking feature of the 21st century that there are so many barriers and that the rights and the respect for rights of both refugees and of migrants including migrants who are coming into countries without permissions – they still have rights, they still have rights to be respected."
