Statement on President Trump’s Decision to Exit Paris Agreement

Media Contacts
Garrett Garner-Wells

DENVER, Colorado – Today, President Trump abandoned the United States’ commitment to reducing pollution under the Paris Climate Agreement. This action increases the risks we all face from global warming – including dirtier air, threats to our health, increasingly extreme weather, and loss of coastal regions to flooding.

Under the previous president, the country began making progress in reducing pollution, although not quickly enough. Now President Trump’s actions threaten to take the country in the wrong direction.

Garrett Garner-Wells, director of Environment Colorado, made the following statement in response:

“President Trump is trying to kick America to the sidelines in the race to protect our health and the planet. Now more than ever, our governors and mayors must charge ahead to tackle the climate crisis.

History will judge this action harshly. This decision sends a dangerous signal to the world that the United States – the nation most responsible for global warming – is breaking its promise to cut pollution. It shows the world that President Trump is willing to make climate change worse and risk our future all for the sake of a few polluting industries. It weakens American leadership when it’s needed most.

The irony is, there is no going back. President Trump can slow the clean energy revolution, but he can’t stop it. The tragedy is that America, and our children, will pay the price for delay.

Averting climate disaster would be easier with the help of the President. But it’s not too late to defend clean air and a livable planet. If President Trump won’t stick by our commitment to reduce pollution, we need our states and cities to do so.

State and local governments can make a real difference. Hundreds of cities in the United States and around the world have pledged to accelerate carbon reductions to meet the goals of the historic Paris accord. And nine states are currently considering strengthening America’s best climate and clean air program, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Dozens of cities are shifting entirely away from dirty fossil fuels and toward to 100 percent clean, renewable energy – joined most recently by the City of Atlanta, Georgia. Every city and every state in the country must follow.

We are calling on Governor Hickenlooper to double down and lead Colorado away from dirty fuels and towards 100 percent clean, renewable energy.

Additionally, we are calling on Senators Bennet and Gardner to protect vital pollution-cutting programs like clean car standards and clean air standards from any legislative attack.

We all must work together to reduce and eliminate the pollution that is causing our planet to warm.

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Environment Colorado is a statewide, citizen-based advocacy organization working for a cleaner, greener, healthier future. www.EnvironmentColorado.org