Cities, Counties, and States Step Up Amidst Trump’s Decision to Leave Paris Agreement

On November 4th, 2019, President Trump gave formal notice to the United Nations that he is initiating the process to remove the US from the Paris Agreement on climate change. It was the first day the President could formally request an exit, per the Agreement’s rules, although the Trump Administration has already taken prior executive action to limit the United States’ ability to meet its goals set out under the Paris Agreement. The formal exit date will be scheduled for one day after the 2020 presidential election, November 4th, 2020.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute deeply regrets President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. The decision directly contradicts climate science outlined in three IPCC reports released over the last twelve months, abdicates the United States’ responsibility as a global leader on the climate crisis, and weakens our negotiating stance for future climate agreements (especially since this builds on a pattern of lack of federal commitment to international climate agreements).

While Trump’s decision to remove the United States from the Paris Agreement is disappointing, state and local commitments to achieve 100 percent renewable energy provide some hope. The coalition, We Are Still In, has received over 3,500 commitments to meet the Paris Agreement from U.S. mayors, county executives, governors, tribal leaders, college and university leaders, businesses, faith groups, and investors. According to tracking conducted by the Sierra Club, one in four Americans now live in a place that has committed to 100 percent clean electricity, up from one in five Americans just three months ago. The Sierra Club has compiled a list of cities, states, and counties that have made 100 percent clean energy commitments. In order to qualify, the locality must meet the following criteria:

• Require zero-carbon energy consumption in the electricity sector by 2035, and zero-carbon emissions from all other energy sectors by 2050
• State an explicit focus on equity, affordability, access for all members of the community, and prioritizing low income communities and communities burdened by the fossil fuel industry
• Technological specifications detailing how exactly the clean energy will be generated (nuclear energy, notably, is excluded)

The pace at which commitments are flooding in shows the significant momentum behind the push for 100 percent clean energy. Prior to this year, only two states, Hawaii and California, had committed to 100 percent renewable energy. Now Maine, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Washington, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have joined them, and even more state governors have joined the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of governors committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

In addition to commitments from government entities, private companies and their corporate leaders are making a push towards renewable energy development. RE100, a program led by The Climate Group, brings together major companies committed to sourcing 100 percent of their energy from renewable energy sources by 2050 (at the latest). More than 200 companies have made such commitments so far.

President Trump’s decision risks global and domestic efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The earth is rapidly approaching tipping points, which, if passed, will limit our ability to curb global warming even if all fossil fuel consumption ceases. While federal action must eventually be a part of the climate solutions equation, the work of subnational entities should signal to the world that Americans are still committed to climate action.

 

Author: George Davidson