Since the beginning of the campaign trail Trump has been talking about pulling the United States out of the Paris Agreement.
After November 8, and the election Donald Trump, over 100 US companies penned a letter to the now president urging him to keep the US in the Paris Agreement.
They believe climate change is real. Along with the rest of the world.
Unlike his predecessor, Trump is choosing to ignore that.
Here’s why this could be a good thing.
If the US were to remain in the Paris Agreement, these companies and the country as a whole may be satisfied knowing that we’re still in the game and they would lose steam.
But staying in the Paris Agreement doesn’t matter if the government in charge isn’t interested in upholding the commitments our country made to it.
It doesn’t mean Trump will end his review of the Clean Power Plan or stop rolling back regulations at the EPA.
BUT…
If we were to leave the Paris Agreement, there would be outrage.
There would be disappointment.
More importantly, there would be visibility and movement around the need for a global commitment to energy.
Staying in the Paris Agreement could be a justification for people to forget the loads of work that still need to be done in the energy space.
If we leave, there would no longer be an excuse for those companies who promised to continue their pledges to sustainability to not take action on an even greater scale.
There would no longer be an excuse for anyone who believes climate change is real to sit back and see what happens.
It would truly be up to us, the people and industries of this country, to lead the charge on climate change in the US.
Mainstream science tells us it’s real.
And sustainability and energy efficiency have widespread support across the country.
This is a huge opportunity for all companies and utilities alike to prove their commitment to combating climate change in any way they can.
To pick up the slack and prove to the world that we won’t be left behind.
To build momentum that would never have been imaginable if left up to the current administration.
And if the Women’s March is any indication of the power that outrage can create, we may have a chance.
It’s time to walk the talk.
And prove that we don’t need policy to make a difference.
Just passion.
