The landmark Paris Agreement was the first time every country in the world committed to dramatically slash climate change pollution to protect our environment, our climate, and our health. NRDC helped urge President Obama to sign the agreement in September 2016, making the United States—the world’s second-largest carbon polluter—a global leader on climate action. But President Trump has broken America’s promise to the rest of the world by withdrawing our country from the agreement. This reckless, shortsighted move destroys our nation’s leadership. It’s a boon to the fossil fuel industry at the expense of our kids’ futures.
Speeding up the transition to clean, renewable energy and ramping up energy efficiency are some of the best ways to curb the dangerous carbon pollution that causes climate change. Trump vowed to put America first, but his destructive, polluter-first energy policies will put us dead last. So it’s time for all of us to step up—to work with state and local governments, international leaders, businesses, and each other to uphold the promise of Paris and avert catastrophic climate change.
