Cindy Carr, cindy.carr@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Donald Trump skipped the G-7 climate session with other world leaders where they discussed climate solutions and the Amazon rainforest fires, claiming he had scheduled bilateral meetings with Germany and India at that time. Both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the climate session. After the discussion on the more than 40,000 Amazon fires this year, G-7 countries pledged only $20 million to help fight the destruction to the “Lungs of the Planet.”
During the post-summit press conference, Trump reportedly touted U.S. fossil fuels, falsely claimed “windmills” will lose money (jobs in clean energy have been the fastest growing energy sector job over the past decade with more than 350,000 jobs in wind and solar across the country), and called himself an “environmentalist” because of all the Environmental Impact Statements his administration has conducted. Trump yet again refused to answer the question about whether or not he accepts climate science.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:
"Donald Trump is a climate denier and will never be confused with anything close to an environmentalist. He outright ignores the existence of the climate crisis, his administration is directed by corporate polluters, he believes windmills cause cancer (they don’t), and he can’t even bring himself to engage in meaningful discussions with other world leaders about how to address the most pressing issue of our time. The American people deserve a leader who is up to tackling the climate crisis head on -- not one that is too afraid to even attend a meeting about it.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.