Leaders in U.S. Economy Say “We Are Still In’ on Paris Climate Agreement

Below is a re-print of a press release distributed by We Are Still In on June 6th. SACE is committed to working with communities, businesses and leaders throughout the Southeast on climate action. We applaud this forward momentum and want to lift it up, in hopes of encouraging more local climate action. 

Guest Blog | June 8, 2017 | Climate Change

Fortunately for everyone, we feel strongly that progress on clean energy will proceed in the United States and globally depsite President Trump’s recent decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord. American opinion strongly backs the development of renewable energy (73 percent support) over fossil fuel energy (21 percent support). Businesses and investors understand that the best economic prospects are in renewables, and as such renewable energy is receiving twice as much investment as fossil fuels. Likewise, 63 percent of Fortune 100 and 48 percent of Fortune 500 companies have climate or clean energy goals. Solar and wind power are now often the least expensive sources of new power generation, beating natural gas and coal. While President Trump’s decision on the Paris Agreement is careless and reckless, our transition to a clean energy economy can’t be stopped simply with hollow rhetoric.

In particular, we applaud the elected officials from around the Southeast region, who have shown a commitment to climate action. This list is constantly growing so for the most up-to-date list click here.

  • Governor Roy Cooper and the State of North Carolina
  • Josh Stein, North Carolina Attorney General
  • Terence Roberts, Mayor of Anderson, SC
  • Kasim Reed, Mayor of Atlanta, GA
  • Van W. Johnson, Mayor of Apalachicola, FL
  • Esther Manheimer, Mayor of Asheville, NC
  • Billy Keyserling, Mayor of Beaufort, SC
  • John Tecklenburg, Mayor of Charleston, SC
  • Jennifer Roberts, Mayor of Charlotte, NC
  • Steve Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia, SC
  • William V. Bell, Mayor of Durham, NC
  • Lioneld Jordan, Mayor of Fayetteville, NC
  • Jack Seiler, Mayor of Fort Lauderdale, FL
  • Madeline Rogero, Mayor of Knoxville, TN
  • Philip Levine, Mayor of Miami Beach, FL
  • Megan Barry, Mayor of Nashville, TN
  • Buddy Dyer, Mayor of Orlando, FL
  • Andrew Gillum, Mayor of Tallahassee, FL
  • Bob Buckhorn, Mayor of Tampa, FL
  • Jeri Muoio, Mayor of West Palm Beach, FL
  • Allen Joines, Mayor of Winston-Salem, NC

Climate Declaration Represents 120 Million Americans and $6.2 Trillion of the U.S. Economy

Washington DC – A grand total of 1,219 governors, mayors, businesses, investors, and colleges and universities from across the U.S. or with significant operations in the U.S., representing the broadest cross section of the American economy yet assembled in pursuit of climate action, today declared their intent to continue to ensure the U.S. remains a global leader in reducing carbon emissions.

Together, these leaders are sending a strong signal to the international community and the 194 other parties to the Paris Agreement about the continued commitment of the U.S. to ambitious action on climate change absent leadership at the federal level. In the aggregate, the signatories are delivering concrete emissions reductions that will help meet America’s emissions pledge under the Paris Agreement.

Signatories include leaders from 125 cities, 9 states, 902 businesses and investors, and 183 colleges and universities. Participating cities and states represent 120 million Americans and contribute $6.2 trillion to the U.S. economy, and include Oregon and cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Houston as well as smaller cities like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Dubuque, Iowa. A mixture of private universities, state schools and community colleges, both small and large, have added their institutions to the statement. In total the undersigned businesses and investors account for a total annual revenue of $1.4 trillion and include over 20 Fortune 500 companies, including Apple, eBay, Gap Inc., Google, Intel, Microsoft, and Nike, in addition to hundreds of small businesses, have also signed the statement.

The statement calls “The Trump administration’s announcement [one that] undermines a key pillar in the fight against climate change [and a move which is] out of step with what is happening in the United States.” The signers all understand that the Paris Agreement is a blueprint for job creation, stability and global prosperity and that accelerating the United States’ clean energy transition is an opportunity – not a liability – to create jobs, spur innovation, promote trade and ensure American competitiveness. By declaring that “we are still in,” the signatories are putting the best interests of their constituents, customers, students and communities first while assuring the rest of the world that American leadership on climate change extends well beyond the federal government.

In addition to this statement, since President Trump’s announcement to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, 211 Climate Mayors have adopted the Paris Agreement goals for their cities, 13 Governors have formed the bipartisan U.S. Climate Alliance, and 17 governors have released individual statements standing by Paris. Today’s statement embraces this rapidly growing movement of subnational and civil society leaders, by announcing that not only are these leaders stepping forward, they are stepping forward together.

To view the full statement, quotes and list of signatories, visit: www.WeAreStillIn.com

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