Environment minister says global movement to combat climate change 'an irresistible force'

The momentum behind the movement for globalreductions in greenhouse gas emissions is "irresistible" despitethe recent election of Donald Trump, Canada's environment minister, said Tuesday.

Speaking at the UN climate change conference in Morocco, Catherine McKenna tried to minimize the effects of the U.S. election result on the international fight against global warming.

"In terms of climate change ... there's an irresistible force now," McKenna told a news conference in Marrakech. "There's nogoing back. You can't stop the waves from hitting the beach. Andwhat you're seeing is, it's because the market forces recognize thehuge opportunity."

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Donald Trump's victory last week dampened spirits going into the Moroccoconference as the president-elect has come out publicly as a skepticof man-made climate change.

I think there area lot of opportunities to continue going forward when it comes tothe environment, when it comes to the economic opportunities thatare presented.- Catherine McKenna, Environment Minister

Trump also said he wanted to pull the United States out of theParis Agreement, which is a deal ratified by more than 100 countriesto limit the average global temperature increase by a maximum of 2 Cby 2050.

McKenna said that despite Trump's election win, the movement toreduce emissions has reached a "point of no return."

The minister wouldn't say, however, how she would try to persuadethe incoming American government to stay inside the Paris agreement.

"We have a great relationship with the United States," she said."That's really important to us and I think it's important toAmericans. And we're going to continue there. And I think there area lot of opportunities to continue going forward when it comes tothe environment, when it comes to the economic opportunities thatare presented."

French President Francois Hollande was firmer than McKenna withregard to Trump.

"The U.S. has the largest economy in the world," he said duringan afternoon plenary session at the conference.

"And it's the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Itmust respect the promises it made. It's not just their duty, butit's in the interest of the American people, who are also being hitby the changing climate. No one is safe."

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