ICYMI: Trump Administration Blocks Climate Science Report From Paris Agreement

Katowice, Poland -- Over the weekend, the Trump administration joined with Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait to vote against accepting the findings of the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report during the COP24 UN Climate Negotiations. The report projects that the catastrophic effects of the climate crisis could include food shortages and droughts by 2040. The United States refused to “welcome” the scientific findings, claiming that including that language would constitute endorsing the report.

This news follows Washington Governor Jay Inslee introducing a 100 percent clean energy bill, Colorado’s Xcel Energy announcing it plans to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050, Cincinnati, Ohio becoming the 100th U.S. city to transition to 100 percent clean energy, and 2018 being on track to be the second-biggest year for coal plant retirements since 2010, with over 17 gigawatts expected to be taken offline.

The annual UN climate negotiations are currently underway in Katowice, Poland, and yesterday, the Trump administration hosted a pro-coal side event at the climate conference.

In response, Steve Herz, Sierra Club’s International Climate and Energy Campaign Director, released the following statement:

“Donald Trump’s denial of the reality of the climate crisis has done nothing but threaten the health of everyone on this planet and has only succeeded in further isolating the United States from the vast majority of the other countries of the world that are actively working to combat the climate crisis. The Trump administration is shamefully trying every tactic in the book in their attempt to derail climate solutions, but local leaders across the United States have and will continue to put the health and safety of people and communities first.”