D.C. Mayor Reaffirms Support for Paris Climate Agreement
Mayor Muriel Bowser says city will uphold the agreement’s goals
Washington D.C.’s mayor has announced that the city will continue to uphold the guidelines in the Paris climate agreement, just days after President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from it.
Mayor Muriel Bowser signed an executive order Monday morning reaffirming the city’s support for the climate agreement, surrounded by local officials, federal partners and environmental stakeholders.
Bowser said the nation’s capital has a “special obligation to create policies and implement programs that protect our environment.”
This followed Trump’s decision on Thursday to pull the U.S. from the 195-nation accord, fulfilling a campaign promise. He cited burdensome economic regulations as his motive. Trump said the U.S. could reenter the accord if it was renegotiated.
Bowser was one of nearly 200 mayors who issued a joint statement last week committing their respective cities to adopt, honor and uphold Paris agreement’s goals. Bowser stressed that the nation must take climate change seriously.
“The effects of climate change are already here, and without proper planning and collaboration, they will be catastrophic,” she said in a statement.
The D.C. Council also voiced support for climate action on Monday, reaffirming the District’s Commitment to Climate Change Action Resolution of 2017, which commits the city to reducing its climate impact.
The city already has implemented the Climate Ready DC plan, which includes a series of actions intended to minimize the risk of climate change on D.C.’s infrastructure, public facilities and people. Also, the DC Green Bank was formed to create jobs, expand solar power, lower energy cost and reduce greenhouse gases.
D.C. Department of Energy and Environment Director Tommy Wells, who helped launch Climate Ready DC, said he was proud to work with Mayor Bowser to ensure that the city was prepared to address climate change.
“Now, more than ever, is the time for cities to step up to the plate,” Wells said in the statement.