Letter to the Honorable Rick Perrry, Secretary of Energy - Paris Climate Agreement

Letter

Dear Mr. Perry:

We, the Republican Governors of states that have taken a leadership role in combating climate change, write today to request the United States maintain the commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement.

Our states, working individually and in multi-state efforts, have already made tremendous progress in reducing our carbon emissions. The U.S. commitment of 26-28 percent below 2005 levels is achievable, but we need continued national leadership.

The impacts of climate change have already been felt in our states. We have seen the impacts of rising sea levels, increasingly severe flooding, heat waves, droughts, and decline in snow cover. These impacts threaten the people of our states and put an intense burden on our economies.

We will continue to do our share to help our nation reach the U.S. Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). We will not, however, reach the NDC goal alone. There are shared costs that need to be addressed to cut carbon pollution, but we have also proven we can do it in a way that creates jobs, makes our states more competitive, and makes us leaders in the clean energy economy. These benefits can and should accrue to all Americans.

We believe maintaining this commitment and the U.S. leadership on climate change is the right action for the protection of our children, grandchildren and future generations. It also allows us to maintain our global economic leadership.

Sincerely,

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