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More than 120 Congressional Democrats have condemned President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement.
Some shit you should know before you read: Shortly after taking office, President Trump signed an executive order to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, an international treaty aimed at protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The agreement, signed by nearly 200 nations, required countries to set voluntary targets for cutting emissions and provide financial assistance to developing nations to combat climate change. Trump justified the withdrawal by claiming the agreement was unfair to the United States, arguing it imposed disproportionate economic burdens on the country while allowing major polluters like China, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, to operate under less stringent commitments. He also said that the deal would harm American jobs, particularly in the fossil fuel industry, and undermine US competitiveness on the global stage.
What’s going on now: In response to President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, more than 120 Congressional Democrats in the House and 22 Senators introduced resolutions condemning the move and urging the administration to reverse course. Representative Brad Schneider, a lead sponsor of the House resolution, criticized Trump’s actions as “irresponsible” and warned of their global implications. He said, “President Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement sends a signal to our allies that the US is turning its back on a healthy and safe future for our world.” Although the resolutions are non-binding, they represent a unified Democratic pushback against Trump’s climate policy.
In addition to Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate, Democratic governors are taking steps to counteract the federal government’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. A coalition of 24 governors, operating under the US Climate Alliance and representing approximately 60% of the US economy and 55% of the population, sent a letter to UN climate chief Simon Stiell reaffirming their commitment to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
The governors, including New York’s Kathy Hochul and New Mexico’s Michelle Lujan Grisham, vowed to continue pursuing ambitious climate policies and ensuring progress is reported to the international community. In their letter, the governors wrote, “We will not turn our back on America’s commitments. For our health and our future, we will press forward.”
