More Than 200 US Mayors Revolt Over Paris Agreement Withdrawal

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Following in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s wayward decision to withdraw the country from the Paris Climate Agreement, governors and mayors from across the country have thumbed their nose at their President, and committed to the Accords regardless.

In what was likely supposed to be a pithy soundbite, Donald Trump’s speech included this little gem: “I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.” I imagine even half an hour’s research could have yielded a clue as to what Pittsburgh’s mayor would do in response to this, but it would appear that was yet another position the Trump Administration has yet to fill.

On Friday, the day after Trump’s announcement, Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto issued an Executive Order committing the city to the Paris Climate Accords.

“For decades Pittsburgh has been rebuilding its economy based on hopes for our people and our future, not on outdated fantasies about our past,” Mayor Peduto said. “The City and its many partners will continue to do the same, despite the President’s imprudent announcements yesterday.”

A little more than half an hour’s research would also have yielded a clue as to what other mayors and governors would do in response to Trump’s decision.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signs Executive Order adopting goals of Paris Climate Agreement

On Friday, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio signed his own executive order promising that his city “would commit to the principles enshrined in the Paris Climate Agreement.” Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti, on rumors that Trump would take the country out of the Accords, “worked with Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin to have a City Council motion introduced instructing the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and other City Departments, to adopt the principles of the Paris Climate Agreement as the policy of the City of Los Angeles.”

In fact, Garcetti, who co-founded the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda, also known as the Climate Mayors, is partly responsible for a veritable landslide of mayors stepping out to commit to the Paris Climate Agreement. On June 1, the day of Trump’s announcement, the Climate Mayors were numbered at 61, and they were loudly exclaiming that their cities would be adhering to the Paris Climate Accords. Within only a few days, that number has soared to 211, all committing “to adopt, honor, and uphold Paris Climate Agreement goals.”

The OG Climate Mayors

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Joshua S Hill

I'm a Christian, a nerd, a geek, and I believe that we're pretty quickly directing planet-Earth into hell in a handbasket! I also write for Fantasy Book Review (.co.uk), and can be found writing articles for a variety of other sites. Check me out at about.me for more.

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