On November 4th, 2019, the Trump Administration formally notified the United Nations that it would withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement. In response, countless US subnational and non-state actors reiterated their support for the agreement and for climate action in the United States.
Below, find a partial selection of those statements, which show the diverse array of institutions prepared to respond.
Health Care Organizations:
“Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center stands in strong support of the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, as climate change is already having and will continue to have a direct impact on public health and the communities we serve. Historically the health care industry has had a significant carbon footprint and we have committed to significantly reducing our carbon emissions and pursuing other environmental initiatives to ensure that ‘we do no harm’ for the future of our patients, their families, and ourselves.”
--Peter J. Healy, President, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
“At Providence St. Joseph Health we believe that health for a better world includes meeting the Paris Climate Accord goals. We Are Still In for the health and well-being of our communities.” Ali Santore, group vice president, government affairs and social responsibility, Providence St. Joseph Health
“As we affirmed in 2017, Kaiser Permanente continues to stand behind the Paris Climate Agreement and its goal to combat climate change. We prioritize sustainable practices throughout our organization and work to lead the health care industry in reducing its carbon footprint through measures like our plan to be carbon neutral in 2020.” - Kaiser Permanente Chairman and CEO Bernard J. Tyson
Cultural Institutions:
"Climate change is the single greatest threat to ocean health, and to all humanity. The U.S. withdrawal from the Paris agreement is a dismaying setback for effective action against climate change. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is proud to stand with the nearly 4,000 We Are Still In signatories and the hundreds of U.S. states and cities that have commited to stay engaged with the international effort to hold global warming to well below 2℃. A swift transition to a clean-energy economy will benefit our security, prosperity and the health of our ocean." -Margaret Spring, Chief Conservation and Science Officer, Monterey Bay Aquarium
"As a mission-driven institution committed to science and the care of 40 million biological specimens and cultural artifacts in our collections, we believe that it is more important than ever to focus on educating the public about climate change and positive, science-based actions we can all take to help mitigate it. The Field Museum as a We Are Still In signatory stands in the good company of a small but growing coalition of cultural institutions that are committed to doing our part to make this a better planet for people and nature.”- Carter O'Brien, The Field Museum
Businesses:
Every individual, company and government has a role to play in driving change at the pace and scale the planet will notice. At Salesforce, we are committed to ambitious climate action. We pledge to set a 1.5*C science-based emissions reduction target and introduced Sustainability Cloud. We deliver a carbon-neutral cloud to our customers and are on track to reach 100% renewable energy by 2022. It's all hands on deck to avoid the worst consequences of a changed climate. We Are Committed. We Are Still In. - Salesforce.
We here at Clif Bar & Company stand with a business community that has bold goals for a clean energy future. Let's work together to raise the bar and protect clean air, clean energy and a health climate. - CLIF Bar
We Are Still In on driving global climate action and reaching the Paris Agreement goals. We're committed to reducing our emissions 27% by 2025 and 67% by 2050 across our full value chain. Now more than ever, it's time to come together and act on climate change. - Mars, Incorporated.
“Rather than withdrawing from the Paris Accord, the U.S. should be doubling down to fight climate change. The best available science indicates risks have become larger and more urgent. We remain committed to the goals of the Paris Accord and have put our company on a path to meet the Paris targets two decades ahead of schedule. But companies cannot solve this problem alone – we need active participation by governments. We will continue to work with key stakeholders to advocate policies that re-engage the U.S. in climate action.” - Lucas Joppa, Chief Environmental Officer, Microsoft
See a large list of Outdoor Industry Business Responses at this link.
Faith Groups:
Despite the inspiring efforts my Church and our friends in the "We Are Still In" movement are making, the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement represents a serious obstacle in the global effort to curb climate change. As a person of faith, I both pledge my own energies and efforts to climate action and environmental justice, and also call on the U.S. government and our President to take the necessary steps to re-engage with the Paris Agreement. - Bishop Marc Andrus, Episcopal Church of California (full statement)
Higher Education:
See a large list of college and university reactions to the Paris Withdrawal at this link.
Cities:
Withdrawing from the Paris Agreement puts future generations at risk. Boston will not stand by as our federal government fails to act. As Mayor, I will continue to work to uphold the tenets of the Paris Agreement and protect Boston against the very real impacts of climate change - Mayor Marty Walsh, Boston