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Mayor Gonzales Joins Cities, Businesses and Non-Profits Nationwide in Commitment to Continue Fighting Climate Change

Letter to international community expresses disappointment in President Trump’s decision; resolve to continue making an impact at the local level

June 1, 2017

Santa Fe, NM – Following President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the landmark Paris Climate agreement, and in a move that highlights the City of Santa Fe’s ongoing efforts to increase sustainability, protect the environment, and build a greener city, Mayor Javier M. Gonzales has signed on to a letter emphasizing that local communities, through local action, can make a collective impact that is meaningful on a global scale when it comes to climate change and its implications.

“Over and over, in our commitment to renewable energy, our innovative approach to water conservation, our investment in watershed management and stormwater systems, our pledge to be a carbon neutral city by 2040, and our work to fund initiatives that mitigate the impact of climate change on those living on the margins in our city, this administration has made clear that we are dedicated and working to do our part to make a difference in this fight,” said Mayor Gonzales.

The mayor added, “This letter is a signal that we’re not alone, and that while one city alone cannot turn the tide, there are hundreds out there following our lead, and many more businesses, non-profits, and private citizens who share our commitment. Together we can make a difference.”

An early draft of the letter, addressed to the international community at-large, reads:

Open letter to the international community and parties to the Paris Agreement from U.S. state, local, and business leaders

“We, the undersigned mayors, governors, college and university leaders and businesses are joining forces for the first time to declare, that we will continue to support climate action to meet the Paris Agreement.

In December 2015 in Paris, world leaders signed the first global commitment to fight climate change. The landmark agreement succeeded where past attempts failed because it allowed each country to set its own emission reduction targets and adopt its own strategies for reaching them. In addition, nations – inspired by the actions of local and regional governments, along with businesses – came to recognize that fighting climate change brings significant economic and public health benefits.

The Trump administration’s announcement undermines a key pillar in the fight against climate change and damages the world’s ability to avoid the most dangerous and costly effects of climate change. Importantly, it is also out of step with what is happening in the United States.

In the U.S., it is local and state governments, along with businesses, that are primarily responsible for the dramatic decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in recent years. Actions by each group will multiply and accelerate in the years ahead, no matter what policies Washington may adopt.

In the absence of leadership from Washington, states, cities, colleges and universities and businesses representing a sizeable percentage of the U.S. economy will pursue ambitious climate goals, working together to take forceful action and to ensure that the U.S. remains a global leader in reducing emissions.

It is imperative that the world know that in the U.S., the actors that will provide the leadership necessary to meet our Paris commitment are found in city halls, state capitals, colleges and universities and businesses. Together, we will remain actively engaged with the international community as part of the global effort to hold warming to under 2°C and to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy that will benefit our security, prosperity, and health.”

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