WASHINGTON, D. C. – Attorney General Karl A. Racine today announced that he has joined attorneys general from 18 states in committing to a coalition that pledges to maintain state, municipal, and business commitments to fighting climate change and abiding by the principles of the Paris Climate Agreement. The decision to join the “We Are Still In” coalition follows President Donald Trump’s announcement last week that the United States will withdraw from the global agreement.
“While the President of the United States may believe he can shun the rest of the world and ignore climate change, state attorneys general don’t have the luxury of doing nothing to fight this global catastrophe,” Attorney General Racine said. “The District of Columbia particularly stands to suffer from rising ocean levels, and I have a duty to our residents to fight climate change when the President and Congress abdicate their duty.”
President Trump announced on June 1 that the United States would break ranks with more than 190 countries and leave the Paris agreement. The historic global commitment went into force last November. The accord requires participating countries to limit the average of global warming to an increase of less than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit from pre-Industrial Revolution levels, and encourages them to pursue efforts to keep temperature increases to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit.
The “We Are Still In” coalition is composed of governors, attorneys general, mayors, business leaders, and college and university officials. It pledges to ensure that, despite the federal government’s exit from the agreement, the United States will continue to be an international leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The 19 state attorneys general joining the coalition today include: Xavier Becerra, California; George Jepsen, Connecticut; Matt Denn, Delaware; Karl A. Racine, District of Columbia; Doug S. Chin, Hawaii; Lisa Madigan, Illinois; Tom Miller, Iowa; Janet E. Mills, Maine; Brian E. Frosh, Maryland; Maura Healey, Massachusetts; Lori Swanson, Minnesota; Hector Balderas, New Mexico; Eric T. Schneiderman, New York; Josh Stein, North Carolina; Ellen F. Rosenblum, Oregon; Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania; Peter F. Kilmartin, Rhode Island; Thomas J. Donovan Jr., Vermont; and Mark R. Herring, Virginia.
‘We Are Still In’ Statement
The signatories to the “We Are Still In” coalition today released the following statement:
“We, the undersigned mayors, governors, attorneys general, college and university leaders and businesses are joining forces for the first time to declare, that we will continue to support climate action to meet the Paris Agreement.
In December 2015 in Paris, world leaders signed the first global commitment to fight climate change. The landmark agreement succeeded where past attempts failed because it allowed each country to set its own emission reduction targets and adopt its own strategies for reaching them. In addition, nations – inspired by the actions of local and regional governments, along with businesses – came to recognize that fighting climate change brings significant economic and public health benefits.
The Trump administration’s announcement undermines a key pillar in the fight against climate change and damages the world’s ability to avoid the most dangerous and costly effects of climate change. Importantly, it is also out of step with what is happening in the United States.
In the U.S., it is local and state governments, along with businesses, that are primarily responsible for the dramatic decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in recent years. Actions by each group will multiply and accelerate in the years ahead, no matter what policies Washington may adopt.
In the absence of leadership from Washington, states, cities, colleges and universities and businesses representing a sizeable percentage of the U.S. economy will pursue ambitious climate goals, working together to take forceful action and to ensure that the U.S. remains a global leader in reducing emissions."
It is imperative that the world know that in the U.S., the actors that will provide the leadership necessary to meet our Paris commitment are found in city halls, state capitals, colleges and universities and businesses. Together, we will remain actively engaged with the international community as part of the global effort to hold warming to well below 2°C and to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy that will benefit our security, prosperity, and health.”