Statement on Trump Reneging from Paris Climate Agreement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Contact:  Travis Proulx, 518-462-5526 x238

In response to President Trump’s announced withdrawal from Paris climate agreement, broad NY State coalition calls on state to take leadership on climate solutions

New York - President Donald Trump has just announced that he plans to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement.

In response, NY Renews, a coalition of more than 100 environmental, community, and labor groups, released the following statement:

President Trump's deeply misguided decision to pull out of the historic Paris Climate Agreement is a disaster for all Americans, and for people around the world.  We are already feeling the impact of climate change, and Trump's fake populism will only accelerate the dangers of rising sea levels, heat waves, superstorms, food and water insecurity. This was a shameful, ignorant, incompetent and deeply unstrategic decision, and it puts New York families directly in harm’s way.

If President Trump insists on sabotaging American competitiveness in the burgeoning renewable energy sector, then New York State -- the world's 12th largest economy -- can and must step into the leadership vacuum.

Governor Cuomo has taken some significant steps on climate over the past few months, approving the largest offshore wind installation in the U.S. and announcing broad new rules to reduce methane emissions,. But now is the time to do more -- much more.

We call on the Governor and the legislature to embrace and put into law a bold vision for a transition to 100% clean renewable energy by passing the Climate and Community Protection Act (CCPA).

The CCPA would give New York's climate goals the force of law across the energy, building, and transportation sectors, greatly increase resources allocated to the communities at the frontlines of climate change, and ensure fair labor standards that help ensure renewable jobs are good, family-supporting jobs.

Recent polling has shown that more than 75% of New Yorkers across the political spectrum support the U.S. remaining in the Climate Agreement -- larger numbers than any other state.  We are ready for New York to take leadership in creating good jobs, healthy communities, and a safe future for our kids. Now our elected leaders must step up to the challenge.

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