California Gov. Jerry Brown and 11 other state governors called on President Trump Wednesday to keep the United States in the Paris Climate Agreement.
The letter to the White House was signed by Brown and the governors of New York, Oregon, Washington, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Minnesota, Virginia and Rhode Island.
“We write as governors of 12 states that are home to 107 million Americans and comprise approximately 38 percent of the nation’s GDP, to urge you to keep the United States in the Paris Climate Agreement,” the governors wrote.
“Maintaining the U.S. commitment is essential to protect our residents, and indeed, all Americans from the potentially catastrophic impacts of a changing climate,” the letter continued. “In each of our states, the path forward is clear. Our citizens demand the low-cost, clean-air benefits that a clean energy transition can provide.”
One of Trump’s campaign promises was to pull out of the agreement, which he called “bad for U.S. business” and alleged would allow “foreign bureaucrats control over how much energy we use.”
Brown attended the United Nations’ 2015 Climate Conference and has moved California to the forefront among states in increasing the use of clean energy.
