CCA, like many organizations, governments, and individuals worldwide with a stake in minimizing climate change, strongly disagrees with the Trump administration’s decision in early June to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord. While this is undoubtedly a setback for our common cause, it can also be considered an opportunity to harness the resources of nonprofits, businesses, and state and local governments for climate action. An example of this kind of effort has been the formation of the United States Climate Alliance, which in conjunction with the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda (formed in 2014), will alleviate some of the withdrawal’s impact through member states’ and cities’ pledges to uphold the terms of the agreement.  

 

For our part, CCA sees the withdrawal as adding weight to our conviction that businesses can and must do more to 1) mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and 2) prepare for the economic impacts of sea rise. For example:

 

🔽 They can source materials from manufacturers in cities and states that have chosen to uphold the Paris Accords.

​

🔽They can help compensate for deregulation of carbon emissions by investing in and doing business with renewable energy companies.[1]

​

🔽They can promote themselves as sustainably minded businesses, and join the growing chorus of major corporations that have affirmed their commitment to environmental responsibility.[2]

​

🔽They can support state and municipal resiliency initiatives that are designed protect local economies from the impacts of sea level rise.

​

🔽 They can participate in community service projects involving tree planting.

​

🔽 They can support the campaigns of politicians with a climate-friendly voting record.

​

​