Which U.S. Cities are Taking Action on the Paris Accord

The U.S. is no longer a signer to the Paris Accord, a global climate change agreement. But hundreds of American cities are already taking climate action.

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Editor’s Note: June 27, 2018 More than 400 U.S. mayors are now participating in Climate Mayors and upwards of 150 U.S. cities have signed onto the Global Covenant. Also, Bloomberg Philanthropies launched the We Are Still In climate declaration in 2017 for mayors, governors and business leaders with 2,812 signed on to date. Numerous other cities and corporations continue to work with CDP Cities, a global environmental disclosure platform for cities helps them measure, manage and disclose environmental data in a standardized fashion.

According to the Sierra Club, more than 65 mayors were already part of the “Mayors for 100% Clean Energy” compact ahead of President Donald Trump pulling the United States out of the Paris Accord addressing global climate change.

Led by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Bloomberg Philanthropies is forming a group that includes 30 mayors, governors and corporations pledging to uphold U.S. commitments under the agreement. The organization has also pledged upwards of $15 million to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to cover the funding the United States will presumably no longer commit to as it backs away from the accord. Other cities, and regions, are reportedly forming pacts to stay on their greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets, which includes emissions from both vehicles and buildings.

Cities like Austin, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Portland, Ore., San Fracisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. are already part of the C40 Cities, which is a network of cities representing 25 percent of global GDP, that create climate actions to reduce GHG emissions. Recent statements from mayors, former President Barrack Obama, indicate leaders will take up the reins:

Andrea Fox is Editor of Gov1.com and Senior Editor at Lexipol. She is based in Massachusetts.