Paris Accord: Minnesota Is Joining U.S. Climate Alliance

On Monday, Gov. Mark Dayton announced that Minnesota is joining the United States Climate Alliance to uphold the Paris Accord and take action on climate change. Minnesota was one of ten new members to join the coalition Monday.

The move comes days after President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would be withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord, fulfilling a promise he had campaigned on. Trump's decision to withdraw from the agreement, which is designed to limit global carbon emissions through voluntary commitments, was met by criticism from local and state leaders, many of whom are taking it upon themselves to keep the obligations under the agreement.

In addition to Minnesota, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia have all joined the U.S. Climate Alliance, which is committed to upholding the Paris Accord and taking aggressive action on climate change.

“I am very pleased to announce that Minnesota will join the U.S. Climate Alliance, to uphold the tenets of the Paris Climate Change Agreement in our state,” Dayton said in a statement Monday. “President Trump’s withdrawal will cause serious damage to our environment and our economy. Nevertheless, Minnesota and other states will show the world what we can achieve by working together to conserve energy, to use cleaner and renewable energy, and to leave a livable planet to our children and grandchildren.”

The alliance says it's committed to achieving the U.S. goal of reducing emissions 26-28 percent from 2005 levels and meeting or exceeding the targets of the federal Clean Power Plan.

With input from all participants, the U.S. Climate Alliance will also act as a forum to sustain and strengthen existing climate programs, promote the sharing of information and best practices, and implement new programs to reduce carbon emissions from all sectors of the economy, according to a news release.

"Those of us who understand science and feel the urgency of protecting our children's air and water are as united as ever in confronting one of the greatest challenges of our lifetime,” Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said. “Our collective efforts to act on climate will ensure we maintain the United State's commitment to curb carbon pollution while advancing a clean energy economy that will bring good-paying jobs to America's workers."

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Image via Dustin Gaffke, Flickr, used under Creative Commons